Thousands of people demonstrated in Jerusalem on Monday against the justice reform project which deeply divides society. Fifteen judges of the Supreme Court meet on Tuesday to examine appeals filed by groups of human rights activists against a clause of this bill.
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The justice reform project continues to divide in Israel. Monday evening, September 11, several thousand people demonstrated in Jerusalem, the day before a Supreme Court hearing deemed crucial for the continuation of the process.
“We are here to try to stop this corrupt government’s attempts to transform Israel, a liberal democracy, into a fascist regime,” Michael Telias, 42, a professor of science, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). neuroscience.
The announcement of the government project at the beginning of January gave rise to one of the largest protest movements that Israel has known since its creation in 1948. The camp of opponents of the reform demonstrates every Saturday evening, mainly in Tel Aviv , but also in many cities across the country.
Supreme Court hearing
The Supreme Court is due to hold an exceptional hearing on Tuesday bringing together its fifteen judges to examine appeals filed against a first clause of the reform bill adopted by Parliament in July.
This measure prevents the Supreme Court from invalidating a government decision by judging its “reasonableness”, which it has done on several occasions.
For the government, several members of which have repeatedly accused the Supreme Court of being politicized, this institution should only make its decisions based on the law.
“I am here because I want to live in a democratic country, I want my children and my grandchildren to be able to live the life that we hoped for them,” said Miriam Galon, a retiree from Givat Ela. in northern Israel.
A conciliation agreement mentioned by the media
While several Israeli media report a conciliation agreement between the government and the opposition on the pursuit of judicial reform, under the auspices of President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed Monday that he was acting to “achieve a national consensus which will restore the balance between the three powers.
“If such an agreement is obtained, no one will prevent its implementation,” added Benjamin Netanyahu, in a barely veiled warning to certain discordant paths within his majority.
Earlier, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, of the far-right Jewish Force party, said he was opposed to any “capitulation”. “I am for dialogue but against capitulation (…) this reform is important for the State of Israel,” he declared in a video released by his office.
Opposition leader Yaïr Lapid, for his part, warned Monday evening against “a fictitious compromise proposal” in a video.
According to the government, the reform aims, among other things, to rebalance powers, by reducing the prerogatives of the Supreme Court for the benefit of Parliament. But opponents of the reform fear that the proposed changes, by breaking down safeguards on the action of the legislative and executive power, could tip Israeli democracy towards an illiberal system.
With AFP
Source: France 24
