Knesset passes controversial judicial reform, alters selection committee
'In the next government we will ensure that the law to change the Judicial Selection Committee is abolished,' opposition leaders said in a joint statement
Israel's parliament, the Knesset, passed a law to change the composition of the judicial selection committee on Thursday, removing members of the Israel Bar Association and increasing representation of elected officials at the expense of judges.
The law passed with 67 in favor, with only one vote in opposition (Yesh Atid lawmaker Miki Levy), as the rest of the opposition abstained from the vote in protest. This is the latest in the government's controversial judicial reform legislation, which led to widespread protests in 2023, ahead of the war that broke out in October that year.
"Is this what you are asking to rebel the people of Israel and threatening a civil war and a fraternal war? No wonder the public did not respond to you and did not go out in waves as it did before," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said, addressing the opposition.
He said that the public "understands the simple matter: there is no substantial reason for opposition other than the reflex of doubters, to everything they say no." Sa'ar added that principles outlined in the proposal submitted by President Isaac Herzog to bridge gaps were included.
"When I presented the judicial reform at the beginning of 2023, I said that not all wisdom is found in one place, and that it is necessary to hold a dialogue in order to achieve the best result," Justice Minister Yariv Levin said. "Unfortunately, all my appeals to the opposition to hold such a dialogue were not answered. Nevertheless, after the bill has already been introduced by the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, and approved after many discussions in preparation for the second and third reading, I found it appropriate to ask the chairman of the Constitution Committee to bring it up for a renewed discussion, this is in light of a compromise that I developed together with Minister Gideon Saar."
"Citizens of Israel - I am proud to stand here and demand justice, and I am even prouder to do justice," he concluded.
In a joint statement, opposition leader Yair Lapid, Chairman of the Blue and White party Benny Gantz, Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu Avigdor Lieberman, and Chairman of the Democrats Yair Golan announced: "In the next government we will ensure that the law to change the Judicial Selection Committee is abolished."