Israel’s parliament passes law to expand control over judge appointments

Infuriating critics who labeled the Israeli government’s plan to reform the country’s judiciary, the Israeli parliament approved a crucial component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s defiance of a years-long protest movement.

Politicians will have more authority over the appointment of judges thanks to the law, which was passed on Thursday with 67 votes in the 120-seat parliament or Knesset.

The government formally resigned as attorney general Gali Baharav-Miara and fired Shin Bet’s head of internal security Ronen Bar, two days prior to the vote. Netanyahu is both criticized by Baharav-Miara and Bar.

The opposition quickly filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the new law, calling it a “catastrophe” and a “nail in the coffin of Israeli democracy.”

Before the Gaza war caused the public’s concern, the overall judicial reform package sparked one of the largest protests in Israel’s history in 2023.

The bill was intended to “restore balance” between the legislative and judicial branches, according to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who was the bill’s sponsor. Levin criticized the Supreme Court in his final remarks before the vote, claiming that it had “effectively nullified the Knesset.”

Israel’s constitution is unwritten, but it does have some basic laws that outline things like the parliament’s authority and human rights.

Levin claimed that the Supreme Court put itself above the government because it continued to “trample” the Knesset. It has the power to halt any government action, compel the government to carry out any action, and revoke any government appointment.

The era of silencing and appeasement has passed, and there will never be another.

A nine-member committee made up of judges, lawmakers, and representatives from bar associations is currently overseen by the justice minister, who also includes justices from the Supreme Court.

The committee would still consist of three supreme court judges, the justice minister, two ministers, one coalition lawmaker, one opposition lawmaker, and two public representatives, one of whom the majority and the opposition would nominate.

A “nog in the coffin,” in the best way.

On X, Yair Lapid, the leader of the center-right Yesh Atid party, announced that he had filed an appeal against the law on behalf of several opposition parties.

This government is returning to the exact legislation that caused the public’s discord before October 7 by focusing all efforts on their [Israeli captives’] return and healing the divisions within the population, Lapid said in his post.

Eliad Shraga, the head of the NGO The Movement for Quality Government in Israel and one of the petitioners against the law, “The amendment passed by the Knesset is yet another nail in the coffin of Israeli democracy.” This is a deliberate attempt to take control of the court system and turn it into a political tool.

The government’s judicial reforms package, which was first introduced in early 2023, sparked a frenzied weekly street protests that divided Israeli society.