What did Herzog say?
- The Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, called on the ruling coalition in Israel to stop the judicial amendments, after a night that witnessed unprecedented demonstrations in Israel, following Netanyahu’s dismissal of his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, according to what was reported by the English-language Israeli newspaper, “The Jerusalem Post”.
- “Tonight we saw very harsh scenes, and I address the prime minister, the government and the members of the coalition,” Herzog said. “The feelings are difficult and painful, and the people are deeply concerned.”
- “The economy, society and security are threatened,” added the Israeli president, who is a largely ceremonial position in the Jewish state and is not supposed to meddle in politics.
- Turning to Netanyahu, he said: “All eyes of the Israelis are on you.”
- He continued, “For the sake of the unity of the people of Israel and for the sake of responsibility, I call on you to stop the judicial amendments immediately.”
Netanyahu’s forthcoming speech
Later Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a speech on the judicial amendments.
noisy night
- Protests erupted in Israel, on Sunday evening, in a way that exceeds all the protests that erupted since last January against the backdrop of a project to reform the judicial system, following Netanyahu’s dismissal of his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, after he made statements calling for a one-month freeze of the mechanism for amending the judicial system that the government seeks, because it is constitute a threat to the security of Israel.
- After the news spread, thousands of demonstrators marched to the center of Tel Aviv, and they gathered in front of Netanyahu’s house in Jerusalem and broke through the security cordon from one side before the police used water cannons to disperse them, according to “Reuters”.
- Israeli media reported that the demonstrations included other cities from the north to the south of the country, and reported estimates that the number of demonstrators reached more than 600,000.
- Some protesters blocked main streets in several cities, as well as several intersections.
Information about judicial amendments
- The judicial amendments essentially seek to limit the powers of the judiciary in Israel.
- The Knesset (parliament) approved in its first reading on Tuesday two main provisions in the amendment, the first changes the process of appointing judges and the second makes the Supreme Court ineligible to annul any amendment to the basic laws that are considered as a constitution in Israel.
- Another controversial provision is the introduction of the “exception” clause that allows Parliament to overturn some Supreme Court decisions by a simple majority of 61 votes out of 120 members of Parliament, which is expected to be voted on in a first reading at a later date.
- Opponents believe that the law would tighten political control over judicial appointments and grant the executive authority wide freedom in making appointments
judges. - On the other hand, Netanyahu says that the amendments are important to find some kind of balance between the elected government and the judiciary.
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