The President of Israel joins Netanyahu’s criticism of judicial reform

With each passing day, new voices are heard in Israel criticizing the judicial system plan in which the Government works, but Benjamin Netanyahu does not listen. Isaac Herzog gave a televised address to the nation in which he abandoned his usual conciliatory tone to attack a plan that is “wrong, oppressive, undermines our democratic foundations. And therefore it must be replaced by another plan, one that has consensus, and immediately.”

The President of the Jewish State, who for years was the leader of the Likud opposition in the Parliament, requested that the procedures already underway in the Parliament be stopped in order for the country to “Don’t descend into the social and constitutional abyss”. Herzog’s announcement comes after weeks of mass protests in Tel Aviv and the first rifts within the armed forces, a key institution in Israel.

He raised his voice to show it “the package of laws currently under discussion must go, and fast”. What is happening is that his statements have a symbolic value, not a practical one, in a country where whoever occupies the prime minister’s chair is in charge. That person is Netanyahu and now he rules thanks to the support of some ultra-orthodox and ultra-nationalist Zionists who do not doubt the need to subject justice to cabinet control.

There are cries on the streets that the reform is eroding democracy, but the executive enjoys a solid majority in the House that allows it to proceed with its plans instead of seeking consensus with the opposition. The changes led by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, they seek to give the government control over the commission for the selection of judges, to limit the powers of legal advisers and above all to reduce the possibility of the Supreme Court to revoke certain laws passed in the Parliament.

This process is taking place in parallel with the trial for corruption, breach of trust and embezzlement that Netanyahu is facing and which could end his political career.

Messages from the United States

Criticism of Netanyahu’s reform also comes from the USA, Israel’s great ally. secretary of state, Antony Blinken reminded the Prime Minister of the need to “find consensus for such a change” during his tour of the Middle East since January. The Likud leader listened to the words without losing his smile and responded by saying that “Israel will remain a democracy.”

US Defense Chief, Lloyd Austin, gave the same speech on his recent trip to Tel Aviv and after a meeting with Netanyahu and his defense colleague, Yoav Galant, he told the media that “the genius of democracy, American democracy and Israeli democracy, is that they are both based on strong institutions, on checks and balances, and on an independent judiciary .

These messages, like Herzog’s, hardly have any influence on the internal decisions of the new government, which has judicial reform as a priority and is progressing in that process by following the necessary procedures. The clock is ticking on Netanyahu’s interests.