Netanyahu supports controversial judicial overhaul

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has supported a controversial judicial overhaul that was described by his predecessor, Yair Lapid, as an attempt to undermine Israel’s judicial system.

“The justice minister presented the first stage of the planned reform,” Netanyahu said at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting yesterday, stressing, “the claim that this reform is the end of democracy is baseless.”

He reiterated his firm support for the proposals unveiled by Justice Minister, Yariv Levin, on Wednesday.

“The truth is that the balance between the branches in the governmental system has been violated over the last two decades, and even more so in recent years,” the Times of Israel reported Netanyahu saying.

“The attempt to restore the correct balance between the branches is not the destruction of democracy, but the strengthening of democracy,” he said.

He went on to reject the establishment of a committee to study and discuss reforms of the judicial system.

“We received a clear and strong mandate from the public to carry out what we promised in the elections, and we will do so. This is the realisation of the voters’ will, and this is the essence of democracy,” Netanyahu said.

Levin’s proposal would drastically limit the authority of the High Court of Justice to block legislation and government decisions deemed discriminatory and/or undemocratic.

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