The Israeli Supreme Court invalidated this Monday (1ᵒ) an important section of the judicial reform proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. By 8 votes to 7, the Court decided to revoke a law approved in July 2023 that prevents judges from overturning government decisions they consider “unreasonable”.
The law was the first part of the planned reform of the Israeli judicial system, launched at the beginning of last year and which ended up being suspended since the terrorist group Hamas carried out the attack on Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping another 240. Israel immediately declared war on Hamas and continues with the offensive that, according to Palestinian health authorities, has already resulted in the deaths of around 22 thousand people in Gaza.
The Supreme Court judges overturned the law justifying “serious and unprecedented harm to the fundamental character of the State of Israel as a democratic country.”
Before the Hamas attacks, Netanyahu's reform had already resulted in a series of mass protests and threatened to trigger a constitutional crisis between the Judiciary and Legislative powers of Israelalso shaking the cohesion of the Army.
Even with divisions put aside after the Hamas attacks, Monday's decision could reignite tensions.
O Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin, an ally of Netanyahu and creator of the reform, criticized the court's decision, saying it demonstrates “the opposite of the spirit of unity necessary in these days for the success of our soldiers at the front.” The minister also accused the court of “arrogating all powers to itself”.
Levin did not indicate whether the Israeli government would attempt to revive the judicial reform plan in the near term. “As campaigns continue on different fronts, we will continue to act with restraint and responsibility,” he said.
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