Israel's Supreme Court made a landmark decision on Monday, striking down a contentious law enacted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The law, which had been a focal point of nationwide protests, aimed to curtail the authority of the high court and limit its ability to overturn laws deemed unconstitutional, according to BBC reports.
This judicial upheaval follows months of internal discord, culminating in July 2023 when the government passed the controversial "reasonableness" bill. Critics argued that this legislation posed a significant threat to the country's democratic principles by undermining the judicial system. The bill specifically stripped the Supreme Court and lower courts of their authority to annul government decisions deemed "extremely unreasonable."
The law provoked widespread public outcry, leading to massive street demonstrations where hundreds of thousands of protesters demanded the repeal of the reforms and the resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu. These weekly protests were touted as the largest in Israel's history. The discontent reached a point where military reservists, including air force pilots, threatened to defy service orders, raising concerns about potential impacts on Israel's military capabilities.
In a significant turn of events, the Supreme Court, in a majority decision of 8 out of 15 judges, declared the law unconstitutional. The court asserted that the legislation would have inflicted "severe and unprecedented damage to the basic characteristics of the State of Israel as a democratic state."
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the architect of the law, criticized the court's decision as undemocratic, accusing the judges of consolidating excessive powers. The "reasonableness" law was just one aspect of a broader series of judicial reforms initiated by Netanyahu's government, aiming to diminish the Supreme Court's authority to review and overturn laws.
These proposed reforms included allowing a simple majority in the Knesset (Parliament) to overrule court decisions, gaining greater executive influence in judge appointments, and eliminating the requirement for ministers to heed legal advice. Netanyahu argued that these changes were necessary to restore equilibrium between the judiciary and politicians. However, the Supreme Court's decision has further strained confidence in his government.
Netanyahu's Likud party denounced the court's ruling, claiming it contradicted "the will of the people for unity, especially during wartime." The Israeli leadership is grappling with domestic pressure over perceived shortcomings in preventing Hamas's attack on October 7 and the ongoing challenges in rescuing Israeli hostages in Gaza.
(With Agency Inputs)
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