Judicial reform is a “correction” for an “activist” court, Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has defended reducing the Supreme Court’s powers, insisting it does not harm Israeli democracy.
The nation’s Parliament approved the first part of the judicial reform law on Monday (24th July 2023), prohibiting the Supreme Court from reviewing government decisions based on the “principle of reasonableness.”
In an interview with American broadcaster ABC News on Thursday (27th July), Netanyahu stated that the amendment serves as a formal constitution and represented a “minor correction” to an “activist” court.
He countered the portrayal of the move as the “end of Israeli democracy,” labeling it as “nonsensical,” and assured that “once the dust settles, everyone will see.”
The “principle of reasonableness” is a legal tool in which a decision is deemed “irrational” by the Supreme Court if the court determines that not all relevant factors were considered or that appropriate weight was not given to each factor.
Judges frequently used this principle to block ministerial appointments and challenge planning decisions, among other Israeli government actions.
The prime minister’s proposed judicial reform, presented at the beginning of 2023, sparked months of protests across Israel.
“The essence of democracy is the balance between the majority’s will and minority rights, and that’s achieved by the balance between the three branches of government,” Netanyahu stated.
“This balance has been derailed in Israel over the last 20 years because we have the most activist Supreme Court on the planet, and it has assigned itself powers of the government – both executive and legislative.”
“We need to correct this, and that’s what we’ve just done. It’s a minor correction,” he concluded.
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