Jerusalem: A leading Israeli lawyer urged the Supreme Court Tuesday to strike down a controversial plank of the government’s judicial reforms, saying it had already caused “severe damage” to Israeli democracy.
An unprecedented 15-judge panel convened to hear petitions against legislation which challenges the powers of the top court itself, by curbing its ability to overturn government decisions.
After a 13-hour hearing, the court gave the government 21 days to substantiate its arguments but did not set a date for a decision.
Detractors say the move paves the way for authoritarian rule, as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s broader judicial overhaul.
The reform package has sparked mass street protests by opponents for months, with thousands massing in Jerusalem on the eve of the hearing.
Dozens more demonstrated on Tuesday as the court convened for the landmark hearing, including some government backers, chanting and waving Israeli flags.
The case combines eight petitions filed against legislation passed in July which scraps the so-called “reasonableness” clause, one of the Basic Laws which form Israel’s quasi-constitution.
“We’re not about to cancel Basic Laws every few days, the question should be if it’s a fatal blow to the country’s core Jewish and democratic values,” Chief Justice Esther Hayut said during the session.
Read the article in The Australian (AFP).