fear for democracy
For Israel, criticism hails after the judicial reform
7/24/2023 8:57 p.m
The German government and the USA are concerned about the deepening tensions in Israel. While the Federal Foreign Office is calling for dialogue between the government and the opposition, the United States describes the decision to approve part of the judicial reform as “regrettable”.
After the Israeli parliament gave its yes to a core element of the controversial judicial reform, the federal government expressed concern about the tense situation and called for dialogue between the government and the opposition. “We very much regret that the negotiations between the government and the opposition, mediated by President Izchak Herzog, have failed for the time being,” said the Foreign Office in Berlin.
“Out of deep ties to Israel and its people, we view the deepening tensions in Israeli society with great concern. Especially after today’s approval of the first part of the planned restructuring of the judiciary, it remains important that a broad social debate is given sufficient time and space to enable a new consensus,” it said. All sides, especially the government, would have to make their contribution to this.
The US has also criticized the decision. US President Joe Biden has repeatedly made it clear that major changes in a democracy require the broadest possible consensus in order to be permanent, said his spokeswoman in Washington. It was “regrettable” that the vote came about “with the smallest possible majority”.
The US government assumes that talks will continue now and in the coming weeks and months on how to find a more comprehensive compromise, even if the Knesset is on recess. The US supported the efforts of President Izchak Herzog and other leaders to seek broader consensus through political dialogue.
Levin: Necessary “correction of the justice system”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, welcomed the narrow yes in parliament to parts of his controversial judicial reform as a “necessary democratic step”. This enables the elected leadership to govern in the interests of the majority of citizens, Netanyahu said in a speech in the evening. The fulfillment of the voters’ will is “the essence of democracy” – and not its end. According to surveys, however, only a quarter of all Israelis were in favor of implementing the judicial reform.
Previously, after days of debate, 64 out of 120 MPs had voted in favor of a bill that would restrict the Supreme Court’s scope for action. The opposition boycotted the vote. The law is part of a larger package. Critics see it as a threat to Israel’s democracy and even warn against the introduction of a dictatorship.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, on the other hand, spoke of a necessary “correction of the judicial system”. With the new law, the highest court will no longer be able to judge a decision by the government or individual ministers as “inappropriate”. Numerous experts fear that this could encourage corruption and thus also the arbitrary filling of important posts or layoffs.