In an attempt to undermine the Supreme Court and strengthen the executive branch, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is imposing his judicial transformation plan with force. This is making for dramatic times and creating social chaos in Israel. This is true despite serious military and external pressure, the possibility of economic collapse, and other factors.
The first piece of legislation enacting the judicial reform was approved in a final vote on Monday. The “reasonableness bill” eliminates the High Court of Justice’s power to overturn governmental decisions it finds to be illogical or unreasonable.
10,000 reserve soldiers declared on Saturday that they would no longer report for duty if the law was approved. The heads of the Israeli security forces, business executives, legal professionals, and economists have all issued warnings in addition to this. Even Vice President Joe Biden of the United States cautioned against swiftly approving the bill without agreement. Nevertheless, Netanyahu’s alliance pushed forward quickly, throwing the nation into anarchy.
Thousands of protesters flying Israeli flags demonstrated in front of the parliament building on Monday as the vote was being cast, appearing unperturbed by the sweltering summer heat, water cannons, and police detentions. The sounds of the protest, including banging on barricades, whistles, drums, and chanting, could be heard from a great distance.
The opposition boycotted the final vote when efforts to seek a compromise fell through, and the law was approved 64-0. The Supreme Court may disagree with the bill, but this will throw Israel into a constitutional crisis and force the military and security forces to choose between obeying the judges and the government.
There have long been demonstrations against Israel’s longtime prime minister. The Prime Minister was indicted in November 2019 on allegations of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust, but they have been going on for a while.
The swearing in of Israel’s most right-wing and fundamentalist administration to date, as well as the release of the comprehensive court “reform” plan, brought them to a new level in January of this year, though. Since then, protests have been held every week in more than 150 cities around the nation, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators started a five-day march to Jerusalem on Tuesday in an effort to block the law. The demonstration came to an end in front of the Israeli parliament, which one protester referred to as the culmination of a “secular pilgrimage”.
In advance of the vote, protesters put up a “tent city” where they planned to camp out. The meadow was covered in hundreds of silver tents that were scattered throughout and separated into various protest groups, from university students to military on active service.
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