Israel parliament starts vote on limiting supreme court power
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[July 24, 2023]
By Maayan Lubell
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's parliament on Monday began final voting on
contested changes sought by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the
judiciary as last-gasp talks continued to ease one of the country's
worst political crises set off by his plans.
President Isaac Herzog who called the standoff "a national emergency"
was still trying to forge a compromise on the government's judicial
plans which have sparked unprecedented nationwide protests, a person
familiar with the matter said.
Police used a water cannon to disperse demonstrators opposed to the
judicial campaign by Netanyahu's nationalist-religious coalition and
officers dragged away protesters who had chained themselves to posts and
blocked the road outside parliament.
The chances to reach a compromise appeared slim as lawmakers began
voting.
"You cannot reach agreements that safeguard Israel's democracy with this
government," Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told Israeli television
channels at the Knesset minutes before the hours-long vote began.
With banks and businesses joining in the protest, pressure mounted on
Netanyahu, who was released from hospital on Monday morning after a
two-night stay during which he was fitted with a pacemaker.
Netanyahu has been urged by Washington on the one side to reach a
compromise with the opposition, while his hard-line coalition partners
are pushing for legislation to go ahead with more judicial changes to
follow.
The crisis has spread to the military, with protest leaders saying
thousands of volunteer reservists would not report for duty if the
government continues with the plans and former top brass warning that
Israel's war-readiness could be at risk.
Nonetheless, commanding a comfortable majority in parliament,
Netanyahu's coalition looked set to win the vote on the bill that limits
the Supreme Court's powers to overrule decisions made by governments and
ministers.
'DISASTER'
"We're on our way to a disaster," Lapid told lawmakers during the
stormy debate. "If you vote for this bill you will weaken the state of
Israel, the people of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces."
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Demonstrators are sprayed with a water
cannon during a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist coalition government's
judicial overhaul, in Jerusalem July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
It would be the first change written into law from a package critics
fear aims to curb judicial independence, but which Netanyahu - who
is on trial on corruption charges he denies - insists are needed for
balance among branches of government.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin who has been driving the changes
defended the bill, which would amend a law enabling the Supreme
Court to void decisions it deems "unreasonable".
"There's no reason to fear this amendment. There are many reasons
to see it as an important step toward restoring balance between the
branches of government as respecting voters' choice," said Levin.
Netanyahu's coalition has been determined to push back against what
it describes as overreach by a Supreme Court that it says has become
too politically interventionist.
Critics say Monday's amendment has been rushed through parliament
and will open the door to abuses of power by removing one of the few
effective checks on the executive's authority in a country without a
formal written constitution.
The government announced its judicial plans in January, soon after
it was sworn in, stirring concern among allies abroad for Israel's
democratic health and denting the economy.
The Shekel has weakened around 8% since.
Israel's two biggest banks, Leumi and Hapoalim, said they would
allow workers to demonstrate on Monday without losing pay.
A forum of some 150 of Israel's largest companies went on strike
and Azrieli and Big, two of Israel's largest malls, said stores in
their shopping centres would remain closed.
(Additional reporting by Dan Williams and Steven Scheer; Editing by
Miral Fahmy and Tomasz Janowski)
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