Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday defended the proposed judicial reform recently unveiled by his government, hinting that there may be limits to how much he will tolerate protests against his government.
“We are not weakening the judicial system, we are strengthening all of our systems, democracy and the rule of law, which all depend on the right balance between institutions,” Netanyahu said at a news conference unveiling his coalition’s economic plans.
“This balance that we find in all countries of the world, as you know, is somewhat broken in Israel and we have to restore it in a responsible way and we will do that,” he added.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin on Wednesday evening published the first draft laws aimed at completely restructuring the judicial system as announced last week. The overhaul will give the government complete control over the appointment of judges, including the Supreme Court, severely limit the Supreme Court’s ability to strike down laws, and allow the Knesset to re-enact laws that the court with a majority annuls only 61 MKs.
Since the proposed reforms were announced last week, opposition lawmakers have warned against upending Israel’s democracy and urged Israelis to take to the streets to protest.
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The calls angered coalition lawmakers, including far-right Otzma Yehudit MK Tzvika Fogel, who called for the arrests of Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and National Unity leader Benny Gantz on charges of treason.
MK Zvika Fogel, Otzma Yehudit, poses in the Knesset on November 15, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Netanyahu on Wednesday again condemned Fogel’s remarks while seemingly equating them with signs seen at an anti-government protest over the weekend that likened ministers to Nazis. “In a democracy you don’t arrest the leaders of the opposition, and in a democracy the opposition doesn’t call the heads of government Nazis and the elected government doesn’t call the Third Reich.” MKs opposed to the coalition have not used such language.
“I would like to make an appeal to calm down the public discourse. The state will not be destroyed, democracy will not be wiped out,” said the Prime Minister.
Posters blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for political violence and comparing him, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and their government to Nazis were waved at a political protest in Tel Aviv on January 7, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
“The essence of democracy is that debates – including today’s – don’t end with bullets. They are decided at the ballot box and in votes in the Knesset. We may disagree, but we must define the boundaries of discourse,” he continued, appearing to challenge the rhetoric against his government.
“Above all, there must be no violence – no license to use violence, no license to block roads or take any other action that harms citizens.”
The comments came as Lapid gave his first interview since being replaced as prime minister on Wednesday night. He dismissed Netanyahu’s attempt to equate the actions of those protesting the new government with the statements of the coalition MPs themselves.
“I hate these comparisons,” Lapid told Channel 13. “There’s a difference between those who try to trample on our democracy and those who try to protect it.”
Yesh Atid Party leader Yair Lapid speaks during a faction meeting in the Knesset on January 2, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
“This thing they’re doing where they’re fussing in the morning and telling everyone to calm down at night is unbearable hypocrisy,” he added.
Lapid, who is now the opposition leader of the Knesset, condemned statements by former Meretz MK Yair Golan calling for a popular uprising against the new government. Yesh Atid’s boss said he and Gantz weren’t saying there should be a civil war, but warned that the government’s actions could well trigger one.
Lapid also urged President Isaac Herzog to speak out more strongly against the government’s judicial reform.
In addition, Lapid said he spoke to Gantz and the two decided not to attend the anti-government protest in Tel Aviv planned for Saturday, lest it become overly politicized.
Also on Wednesday evening, a handful of activists from Netanyahu’s Likud party demonstrated in Tel Aviv outside the home of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak, who warned of the proposed judicial changes in a series of television interviews over the past weekend.
“You’re corrupt, you’re the head of a criminal organization,” an activist was heard shouting from a megaphone in video of the protest, before accusing prosecutors and the judiciary of fabricating criminal charges against right-wing politicians.
The allegations related to Netanyahu’s ongoing trial over bribery allegations, in which he denies wrongdoing. The prime minister has argued without evidence that the charges against him are part of an effort by political rivals, the media, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to remove him from office.
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