Israel Supreme Court throws out Judicial reforms

In an 8-7 verdict, the Israel Supreme Court has thrown out the Netanyahu government’s controversial Judicial reforms that sparked nationwide protests last year.

The law would have clipped the Supreme Court’s powers of striking down government decisions. Critics of the Netanyahu government and the law are ecstatic even at the time of war as the verdict ‘has safeguarded Democracy’ by striking down a law that ‘would have weakened the Judicial system.’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is leading a coalition government – that includes seven Parties – has been under immense pressure because of the War in Gaza. This is yet another setback for the Prime Minister who is losing balance on the tightrope.

The architect of the law who is also Israel’s Justice Minister, Yariv Levin, has called the verdict undemocratic and criticized the Judges for allegedly superseding the three branches of government by ‘taking all the powers.’

The Israeli Opposition leader Yair Lapid, however, took to X to show his support for the verdict.

We give the Supreme Court full backing.

If the Israeli government again starts the quarrel over the Supreme Court then they have learned nothing. They didn’t learn anything on the seventh of October, they didn’t learn anything from 87 days of war on the house.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X.

In July, the Netanyahu government passed the “reasonableness” law that prevented the country’s Supreme Court, and lower Courts from using the “reasonableness doctrine” to review and axe cabinet decisions deemed highly “unreasonable.”

The bill sparked massive protests throughout the country demanding its reversal and Netanyahu’s resignation. Countless military reservists threatened to boycott their service if the laws stayed active.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has pleaded that adjustments are necessary to create a balance between the Judges and Politicians to limit the Judiciary’s role in public policy-making. His government has tried to gain more power over the appointment of Judges.

As the decision is being welcomed by the Israeli people, experts say the Netanyahu government’s standing has further eroded. It will now be under more pressure both domestically and internationally.

Some critics argue that without the War in Gaza, the coalition Israeli government would have imploded long ago. Its list of problems, no doubt, is only growing.