Israel: Hearing on key judicial reform law in Supreme Court culminates months of disputes

Much of Israel He focused his attention today on a relevant hearing at the Supreme Court, where for the first time in its history its 15 judges analyzed several appeals against a key law of the judicial reform approved in July that just began to depower the Justice Department. The session culminates nine months of protests and division over this controversial plan.

The hearing, broadcast live by the majority of Israeli television and media, lasted 13 and a half hours in a long debate on the supply of the judicial power and the limit that the Government should have in its exercise of power, one of the underlying issues that divide those in favor and against the reform promoted by the Executive of Benjamin Netanyahuthe most right-wing in the history of the country.

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At the hearing, the court’s magistrates heard the points of view of lawyers from the associations that appealed against the law validated just two months ago in the Parliament (Knesset). The rule annulled the so-called reasonableness clause, and ended the ability of the Supreme Court to review and revoke Government decisions based on whether they were reasonable or not, which gave way to the first major measure of the package of laws of judicial reform.

Opponents of the plan say it attacks the democratic foundations of Israelbelieve that it would end the separation of powers and the independence of Justice, and they assure that it would lead the country towards an authoritarian system, arguments that they presented today before the court.

“We are in the middle of a complete judicial coup”he declared Eliad Shragalawyer representing one of the appellant associations, Movement for a Quality Government in Israel, which assured that there is a plan to “dismantle the structures of the State of Israel” and his “golden triangle: the legislative, executive and judicial powers”.

The lawyer defending the Government’s position also intervened, who assured that the Supreme Court has had unlimited power to condition or repeal measures approved by Government coalitions with a legitimate mandate when they are democratically elected, one of the main assets defended by the Israeli right.

Another intervention was that of a representative of the Israeli attorney general, Gali Baharav Biarawho last week urged the Supreme Court to overturn the legislation approved in July, alleging that it meant “a fatal blow to the foundations of the democratic system”.

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“We are entering uncharted territory, we should not have reached this point“added today before the judges the representative of the Attorney Generalwhich illustrates the level of complexity and uncertainty that Israel has reached in the current situation.

The law addressed today in the Court was approved as an amendment to one of the basic laws of Israel, with constitutional status, and never in history has the Supreme Court interceded before an amendment to a basic law, so it is a scenario without precedents.

Given this, the president of the Supreme Court, Esther Hayutassured today in the hearing that basic laws cannot be annulled “every two days“, and that for this “It is necessary to deal a mortal blow to the basic principles of the State as a democratic State”.

This afternoon, there were protests by the citizen movement against judicial reform in different parts of Israel, after making another relative show of force yesterday, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets and gathered, especially in Jerusalem to support the Supreme Court and defend the independence of Justice.

On the opposite side, members of the Government and the right-wing coalition parties warned in recent days that a court decision contrary to the law approved in July would put Israeli democracy in check, and they threatened not to abide by the ruling.

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“If the court overturns the basic laws, it becomes sovereign instead of the people. This extreme step would undermine the foundations of democracy” and “It’s a red line that should not be crossed.“said the right-wing force this afternoon Likudled by Netanyahu himself.

It is unknown how long it will take the judges to issue a verdict. At the end of today’s hearing, Hayut told the parties that they have 21 days to submit any addenda to their arguments.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.