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Netanyahu faces a potential conflict of interest, Gali
Baharav-Miara said in a statement, citing the prime minister's
corruption trial in which he has denied wrongdoing.
Netanyahu had no immediate comment. His justice minister, Yariv
Levin, accused Baharav-Miara in a statement of "seeking to
prevent the prime minister from voicing his positions" regarding
reforms that, he said, would have an impact on her authorities.
Now in his sixth term astride a hard-right coalition, Netanyahu
argues the judiciary has overstepped its bounds in recent years.
Members of his coalition have also described the Supreme Court
as elitist and out of touch with the public.
But the plans to strengthen political control over bench
appointments while weakening the Supreme Court's ability to
overturn legislation or rule against the government have brought
tens of thousands of Israelis onto the streets in nationwide
protests.
Critics of the proposed changes say they will politicise the
judiciary and compromise its independence, undermining
democracy, fostering corruption and harming the economy.
Netanyahu has defended the plan, apparently seeking to assuage
fears investors will bolt Israel if it is eventually written
into law.
"I think it'll help the Israeli economy in a major way," he told
Fox Business Network's Kudlow on Wednesday, adding that the
judicial shake-up would help cut back unnecessary litigation.
S&P Global Ratings director Maxim Rybnikov has told Reuters the
proposed changes could pressure Israel's sovereign credit rating
and dozens of economists have urged Netanyahu to scrap the plan.
Expanding the protest into a new arena, Israeli environmental
groups on Thursday raised their objection to the proposed
judicial changes.
The groups rely on the courts to wage battles against threats to
nature and public health, said Life and Environment, a
federation representing the country's leading pro-environment
organizations.
"It has becomes clear to us that the changes being discussed for
the legal system are expected to seriously harm our ability ...
to act in the interest of the environment and health," the group
said in a letter to Netanyahu and Levin.
(Additional reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Edwina
Gibbs nad Frank Jack Daniel)
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