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BACKGROUND
Israel is in the midst of internal turmoil that has divided the country and led to one of its deepest political crises in its 75 years of existence. Ongoing protests against the government’s plans to change the selection process for its highest court, as well as other reforms that could alter the balance of power between politicians and the High Court, recently climaxed. The prime minister temporarily suspended his government’s legal changes to try to negotiate a compromise.
The crisis began with broad judicial reforms proposed by the recently elected religious-right government – considered to be the most right-wing in the country’s history. Opponents view some of the proposals as self-serving, as well as supporting extreme views of some of the new government’s ministers. Through it all, the demonstrators wrapped themselves in the Israeli flag while they peacefully marched through the streets of Israeli cities demonstrating the strength of its democracy and the patriotism of both sides.
Legal experts on both sides have long debated the need for reform. The wide-ranging proposals and the urgency driving the legislation angered many Israelis – whether in the opposition, academia and even the military. These moves sent a flood of Israelis to the streets in protest week after week. Supporters of the reforms participated in their own demonstrations.
The situation recently reached a tipping point when Israel’s defense minister spoke out publicly against the reform process. He sounded the alarm on the level of anxiety spreading through Israel’s military and asked for the deferral of the voting process and a return to the negotiating table. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired the minister for what he considered to be a politicization of the military. This step – viewed by many as a step too far – sent thousands more protesters to the street on all sides and reform opponents staged mass strikes.
After a day of protests across the country, Netanyahu announced that he would temporarily suspend the legislative process until the summer session of the Knesset, leaving the door open for new discussions between the ruling coalition and opposition parties. In his statement, Netanyahu reminded all Israelis that “we are not facing enemies but our brothers” in a call against splitting “the nation in two.” However, opponents think Netanyahu is making a political calculation because he affirmed that the reforms will still happen.
Israel’s government proposed these changes because it believes they will limit excessive power currently held by the judiciary, restore balance to Israel’s democracy, end the political left’s control of the legal system and bring governance more in line with other democracies. The Israeli justice minister and chief architect of the proposals thought the reforms would “strengthen the legal system, and restore the public’s trust in it.”
Israeli opposition parties – spanning the political left and right – view the changes as an erosion of checks and balances between the judicial and executive branches, a threat to minority groups, an attempt to weaken democracy and a harm to Israel’s economy and society. Former prime minister and current opposition leader Yair Lapid described the reforms as a “unilateral revolution against the system of government in Israel.” A think tank involved in drafting the judicial legislation called for negotiations between Israel’s political parties to form “a broad consensus regarding the required changes.”
Many leading American Jewish organizations – while traditionally abstaining from engaging in Israeli politics – also voiced their deep concerns, and urged the Israeli government to seek a compromise. Following Netanyahu’s national speech, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Conference of Presidents, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee released a joint statement welcoming the suspension of the reforms. They encouraged “all Knesset factions, coalition and opposition alike, to use this time to build a consensus that includes the broad support of Israeli civil society.”
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