Israeli Prez warns of ‘constitutional crisis’ over government reforms
Herzog said in a statement that over the past week he has been mediating between the parties involved, including Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin who drafted the plan, and Supreme Court president Judge Esther Hayut, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We are in the throes of a profound disagreement that is tearing our nation apart,” he noted.
Herzog, whose role is primarily ceremonial and aimed at uniting Israel’s divided society, said his efforts are aimed at “avoiding a historic constitutional crisis and stopping the ongoing division within the nation.”
At his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu rejected Saturday’s nationwide gatherings, saying that in the November 2022 elections, “millions of people will vote on judicial reform.”
He said the reforms would be discussed “thoroughly” in a parliamentary review committee, which would include members of the opposition.
“We will complete the reform of the law in a way that fully protects individual rights and restores public confidence in the judiciary,” he added.
Last week, Levin announced a series of reforms, including giving parliament the ability to override Supreme Court rulings by a simple majority. In addition, politicians will have more influence in the appointment of Supreme Court judges and legal advisers to ministries.
Opponents of the plan, who met Saturday night in Tel Aviv and other cities across Israel, argue that it would undermine the independence of the judiciary, harm minority rights and make it easier for corrupt politicians to be held accountable.
On Thursday, Hayut described the plan as “an unchecked attack on the justice system”. In rare public remarks, she said it was “intended to deliver a mortal blow to the independence and impartiality of the judicial system”.
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