Israel’s coalition begins vote to usher first part of judicial overhaul into law
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid: 'With this government it is impossible to reach agreements that preserve Israeli democracy'
(Times of Israel) The Knesset has begun voting on the “reasonableness” law, barring judicial review of government and ministerial decisions on the grounds of “reasonableness.”
The process of approving the legislation’s second and third readings, enacting the law, is expected to last one or two hours.
Negotiations on a compromise with the opposition collapsed this evening, Australian Eastern Standard Time. The coalition is also not unilaterally softening the language of the bill, which is set to become the first piece of its planned judicial overhaul to become law.
Channel 12 reported that Justice Minister Yariv Levin made clear to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their discussions just prior to the voting that if the law does not pass in its current form, the coalition would collapse.
Ahead of the start of voting, Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman bickered with Yesh Atid lawmakers while formally presenting the “reasonableness” bill for its second reading.
“You are talking about the end of democracy, you’re spreading that fake news!” Rothman shouted at lawmaker Yorai Lahav-Hertzano, before the opposition MK was escorted out of the plenum.
Rothman, whose committee sponsored and prepared the bill, also charged the opposition with creating fear among citizens, leading to protests currently outside the Knesset.
Coalition members broke out into applause as Rothman introduced the bill, while opposition members chanted against him.
Netanyahu then entered and took his seat alongside Levin on the government bench, after shaking hands with opposition National Unity party leader Benny Gantz.
Having arrived after the start of voting on objections to the “reasonableness” bill, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant began voting with the coalition, dispelling any notion he would rebel against the government.
Each of the objections to the bill is now being voted down by all 64 coalition members, against 56 opposition votes, with all coalition and opposition lawmakers present in the plenum.
Earlier, Opposition leader Yair Lapid, bristling with anger and frustration, appeared before TV cameras at the Knesset to announce that it had proved impossible to reach an agreement with the coalition over judicial reform.
His remarks signalled the collapse of attempts to reach a compromise.
“In recent weeks, and especially in the past 48 hours, we did everything possible to reach agreements, as promised,” says Lapid.
“Our main condition was to protect Israeli democracy, but with this government it is impossible to reach agreements that preserve Israeli democracy.”
He charged: “They want to tear apart the state, tear apart democracy, tear apart the security of Israel, the unity of the people of Israel, and our international relations.”
Therefore, he concluded, “there is no way to continue to work with them — because this is the most irresponsible government there has ever been here.”
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