Protesters wave the flag of Israel on July 24, 2023, during demonstrations against the federal government’s planned judicial overhaul.
Menahem Kahana | Afp | Getty Images
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 certainly 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 attempting to forge a compromise on the federal government’s judicial plans which have sparked unprecedented nationwide protests, an individual conversant in the matter said.
Police used a water cannon to disperse demonstrators against 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 possibilities to achieve a compromise appeared slim as lawmakers began voting.
“You can not reach agreements that safeguard Israel’s democracy with this government,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told Israeli television channels on the Knesset minutes before the hours-long vote began.
With banks and businesses joining within 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 achieve a compromise with the opposition, while his hard-line coalition partners are pushing for laws to go ahead with more judicial changes to follow.
The crisis has spread to the military, with protest leaders saying hundreds of volunteer reservists wouldn’t report for duty if the federal government continues with the plans and former top brass warning that Israel’s war-readiness may very well be in danger.
Nonetheless, commanding a cushty 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 solution to a disaster,” Lapid told lawmakers in the course of the stormy debate. “In case you vote for this bill you’ll weaken the state of Israel, the people of Israel and the Israel Defence Forces.”
It will be the primary change written into law from a package critics fear goals to curb judicial independence, but which Netanyahu – who’s on trial on corruption charges he denies – insists are needed for balance amongst branches of presidency.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin who has been driving the changes defended the bill, which might amend a law enabling the Supreme Court to void decisions it deems “unreasonable”.
“There is not any reason to fear this amendment. There are various reasons to see it as a crucial step toward restoring balance between the branches of presidency as respecting voters’ selection,” said Levin.
Netanyahu’s coalition has been determined to beat back against what it describes as overreach by a Supreme Court that it says has change into too politically interventionist.
Critics say Monday’s amendment has been rushed through parliament and can open the door to abuses of power by removing certainly one of the few effective checks on the chief’s authority in a rustic with no formal written structure.
The federal government announced its judicial plans in January, soon after it was sworn in, stirring concern amongst 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’d allow employees to show on Monday without losing pay.
A forum of some 150 of Israel’s largest corporations went on strike and Azrieli and Big, two of Israel’s largest malls, said stores of their shopping centres would remain closed.