Whether in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, several tens of thousands of people demonstrated this Saturday, thus ending a historic march between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. For the 29th week in a row, Israelis gathered on Kaplan Street renamed “Democracy Square” as a crucial vote on judicial reform is due to take place this Sunday.
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With our correspondent in Tel Aviv, Sharon Aronowicz
They were only dozens to leave Tel Aviv, they are more than 80,000 to have arrived in front of the Knesset this Saturday evening. And while some are pitching their tents in front of the Israeli parliament in Tel Aviv, Kaplan Street is filling up. ” There are so many people in Jerusalem and yet we are so many people here. Of all ages, parents with young children, babies in their arms, but also elderly people with walkers, it’s very moving “says a woman.
Drum at the waist, megaphone in hand, Kalanit did not miss a single demonstration. She is aware of the urgency of the situation a few days before the vote in the 2nd and 3rd reading of a flagship law of the judicial reform project. From Sunday noon in the Knesset, debates will be held on a measure of the reform aimed at canceling the possibility for the Israeli justice to pronounce on the “ reasonableness of government decisions. “ Once the reasonableness clause is overturned, it will pave the way for more laws to be passed, the government can pass whatever laws they want and without judicial review she says.
“Going up to Jerusalem”
The mobilization is unprecedented this Saturday. However, for 7 months, no compromise has been found and the government is preparing to adopt the first major law of the reform. Kalanit hopes that the mobilization of army reservists can make a difference. “ Israel, like it or not, is a military country that relies on its army, it is essential and the defection of the reservists is a very strong message “, according to her. At least 1,142 Israeli Air Force reservists threatened on Saturday to suspend their voluntary service if the Knesset passes the bill.
Any legislation applied in a manner unreasonable », « jeopardize my will to continue risking my life and compel me, with great sadness, to suspend my voluntary reserve service “, they estimated in a statement, while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is experiencing a resurgence of intensity.
To continue to pressure the government, the anti-reform movement calls on Israelis to ” go up to jerusalem Sunday for a new day of mobilization at the gates of the Knesset – the Israeli Parliament. Demonstrations also took place in Beersheva (south), Herzliya and Kfar Saba north of Tel Aviv, according to images distributed by the organizers.
What does this justice reform contain?
With this bill, the government wishes to review the powers of the Supreme Court. Thus, he wants to include a “notwithstanding” clause that would allow Parliament, with a simple majority vote, to overturn a Supreme Court decision.
The reform also proposes to remove lawyers from the panel responsible for appointing Supreme Court justices. Today, it is made up of a group of judges, deputies and lawyers from the bar, under the supervision of the Minister of Justice.
The government also wants to prevent judges from invoking the “reasonableness” of certain political decisions. A desire motivated by the decision of January 18 of the Court to invalidate the appointment of Arié Dery as Minister of the Interior and Health because of a conviction for tax evasion. The Supreme Court had deemed this appointment not “reasonable”, thus pushing the Prime Minister to dismiss the minister from office.
And finally, the government wants to reduce the influence of legal advisers in government departments because their recommendations are used by Supreme Court justices when ruling on the proper conduct of government. The Minister of Justice therefore wishes that they be clearly considered as non-binding opinions.