The Controversial Judicial Overhaul Bill Has Been Passed by Israel’s Parliamen

Israel's judicial overhaul has already made a negative impact on the country's military, economy, and civil unrest. Credit: by Thang-Nhat Tran via pexels

On July 24, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed a controversial bill that suppresses the power of their judiciary system with a 64-0 vote. 

Amidst the over 30 weeks of protesting by the citizens of Israel, the overhaul of the Israeli Supreme Court is underway. Notable officials within the government – like President Isaac Herzog – have voiced their opposition. 

The Supreme Court's ability to challenge parliamentary decisions as well as switch how judges are selected is part of the new law, according to Politico. Additionally, a measure that blocks the judges from going after government decisions on the basis that they’re “unreasonable” has been approved within the final vote. 

The “reasonability” standard for the judges is seen as an excess of power for the court to use while critics of this argue that it’s only used in rare cases and “would allow the government to pass arbitrary decisions, make improper appointments, or firings and open the door to corruption,” as reported by the Associated Press. 

The judiciary system is critical to Israel’s government considering their already weak checks and balances system along with the lack of a formal constitution. These two factors have become crucial in the passing of this law because now, the Knesset will have secured more power within the government. 

“We are headed for disaster,” the opposition leader Yair Lapid said about the new law. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's allies voiced their opinions, saying the bill is here to restore power to elected officials and reduce the abilities of unelected officials. 

With the bill now passed, Israel’s economy and military are facing consequences. 

Axios reported how thousands of Israel reservists threatened to not report for duty with the passing of this bill. This included intelligence, cyber, and special operations units in the Israeli Defense Forces as well as fighter pilots. 

The impact on their economy has become a focal point with the results of this vote. Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) found in a recent poll that 70% of more than 500 start-ups are starting to shift their money, workers and headquarters outside of Israel due to the overhaul with some even laying off staff. 

“We cry for democracy and we fight for democracy,” Tipalti’s co-founder and CEO, Chen Amit, told CNN. Amit and his family have been participating in the protests against the new law every week. 

Protests are still going strong in opposition to the bill. Participants in this civil unrest went as far as blocking a road that leads to Israel’s parliament. The protesters were met by police as they were pushed back by water cannons. The civil society group, Movement for Quality Government, which has been part of the protests, has declared to challenge this new law to Israel’s Supreme Court. 

“It feels as though Israel stands at a historic crossroads. It feels like the very basic agreement between the state and its citizens has been broken,” Alon-Lee Green, the national co-director of the Arab-Jewish grassroots movement Standing Together, told Time. “The general feeling is that there is a very big thing that has been broken and cannot be restored.”