Israel’s parliament passed a law that will reportedly limit the Supreme Court’s power in the judicial system on Monday.
NPR reported that the new law supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ignited protests within the country, with critics of the law saying the country is being pushed “toward authoritarianism.”
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What does the new Israeli law say?
CNN reported that Israel’s government passed a law that is set to limit the Supreme Court’s power by taking away the power of blocking government decisions.
Waves of protests in Tel Aviv and other parts of the country were demonstrating against Netanyahu’s plans to reform the judicial system starting back in February, according to the Deseret News.
The New York Times reported that Netanyahu was hospitalized “to receive a pacemaker over the weekend,” and had tried to soothe the tensions in the country by addressing the Israeli people on Monday.
“Speaking from his office, he suggested that he would table until late November a broader judicial overhaul plan being undertaken by his government, the most right-wing and religiously conservative in Israeli history,” the Times reported.
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What does this mean?
Critics of the law reportedly say that this vote will “weaken the judiciary” system within the country.
NPR reported that “the measure passed uncontested after opposition lawmakers shouted ‘Shame!’ at their colleagues before walking out in protest.”
Supporters of the law reportedly say that “it is meant to rebalance powers between the branches of government.”
The Associated Press reported that the changes in the judicial system “strengthen democracy by limiting the authority of unelected judges and giving elected officials more powers over decision-making.”
“Israelis on both sides say this is an existential moment,” CBC Jerusalem reported.
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Reactions to the law
I24 News reported that prior to the passing of the law that “it is a vote that has sent hundreds of thousands of Israelis to the streets yesterday in Tel Aviv and in Jerusalem both in favor of and against the legislation.”
Following the passing of the law, three people were “lightly injured” after a car drove through a group of people protesting in Tel Aviv, according to Euro News.
Fox News reported that the head of the opposition, Yair Lapid, said in a speech following the passing of the bill, “It’s a sad day. A day of house destruction. I look at the celebrating coalition and ask, what are you celebrating? That you are dismantling the Jewish state we have?”
“This is the meaning of the law passed today,” Lapid continued in his speech. “The abolition of checks and balances, the abolition of the separation of authorities, the abolition of the gatekeepers, the abolition of the entire immune mechanism of Israeli democracy. This is not a victory for the coalition — this is the defeat of Israeli democracy. We will not give up on them. We will not surrender. We will not let them turn Israel into a flawed, undemocratic country that is run by hatred and extremism.”
Those in favor of the new law reportedly say “the current ‘reasonability’ standard gives un-elected judges excessive powers over decision-making by elected officials.”
NPR’s International Correspondent in Jerusalem Daniel Estrin said that Netanyahu “says this law is the essence of democracy. It will allow the elected government, he says, to carry out its agenda. And he says he is still in favor of dialogue with the opposition. He’s willing to hold a dialogue with them for even the next four months on any future judicial changes.”