AMN/ WEB DESK
Israeli lawmakers today began debating a bill that would limit the Supreme Court’s (SC) powers, rebooting a fiercely opposed judicial overhaul instigated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led coalition government
Anti-government demonstrations had prompted Prime Minister Netanyahu to suspend his judicial drive in March to allow compromise talks with opposition parties. He declared those talks fruitless last week and ordered some of the legislation to be revived. The proposed changes included curbs on the court’s ability to rule against the government. Coalition lawmakers have indicated that the new bill would be a far softer version of previous proposals that had sought to almost totally roll back the Supreme Court’s power to rule against the executive.
The Coalition government says its goal is to balance the powers of the government, legislature and judiciary by reining in a Supreme Court they see as too interventionist. The opposition, however, says the new bill would still open the door to corruption. Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Twitter urged Netanyahu to stop the legislation and revive negotiations until they reach agreements that will safeguard democracy.