Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signalled impatience with disruptions caused by resurgent demonstrations against his judicial overhaul plans, summoning his attorney-general for a cabinet discussion of police counter-measures.
On Monday, Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition is due to bring for first parliamentary reading a bill that would limit “reasonableness” as a standard of judicial review – and which critics argue would open the door for abuses of power.
The opposition casts the bill as a step toward curbing judicial independence that would eventually subordinate the Supreme Court to politicians.
Netanyahu – who is on trial on graft charges he denies – says the aim is to restore balance among branches of government and rein in court overreach.
The legislation follows the stalling of compromise talks between the government and the opposition last month.
Street protests that had subsided are flaring anew, with protesters planning to converge on Israel’s main airport on Monday.
Raising the stakes, one of Israel’s largest shopping-centre chains threatened a one-day shutdown if the Knesset vote passes.
In televised remarks before the cabinet session on Sunday, Netanyahu said it was “unthinkable” the government would abridge the right to demonstrate or support any violence against protesters.
But he argued such freedom should not be extended to “violations of the law that harm the basic rights of millions of citizens and are taking place on an almost daily basis”, citing as examples the disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport, closures of main roads and the heckling of elected officials by protesters.
Read the article by Steven Scheer in The Canberra Times.