It’s time to ‘catch up with the news’ to explain the background of the news and related terms. Israel is in extreme confusion over the so-called ‘judicial reform’ promoted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to have taken a step back, saying he would delay the passage of the bill in the midst of large-scale protests that have been going on for three months. Catch up on the news, this time, let’s learn about the judicial reform controversy that is shaking Israeli society.
“Main Contents of Judicial Reform”
The core of the judicial reforms pursued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government can be summarized as the reorganization of the powers of the Israeli judiciary and legislature.
Looking at some of the main points, first of all, the decision made by the Supreme Court can be overturned by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset).
The condition is a simple majority in the parliament, that is, since the total number of seats in the Knesset is 120, it is possible to overturn the Supreme Court decision with just 61 votes. This means weakening the powers of the judiciary.
In addition, under the current system, the judiciary has reviewed the legitimacy of legislation led by the Knesset. However, the reform bill requires 80% of the Supreme Court justices, 12 out of 15, and limits the Supreme Court’s review power.
Next comes the appointment of judges. It was decided to increase the proportion of Knesset members in the committee that appoints judges so that they have a majority. That would give Congress a decisive influence on the appointment of judges.
Another is the part about the judiciary and ministers. Under the current system, ministers of each ministry are obliged to follow the advice of legal advisors who are guided by the prosecutor general. However, the reform bill repealed this and allowed each minister to appoint his own legal counsel.
“The claim of the Netanyahu government”
The Israeli government claims that the current judiciary has too much power and that the people are not represented in the way judges are elected.
The current Netanyahu government, which is evaluated as the most far-right in Israeli history, has a view that leftist intellectuals who have not been elected by the will of the voters are in the Israeli judiciary.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s position is that it is contradictory for the unelected power, the judiciary, to excessively interfere and judge the elected power, that is, the legislative branch.
On January 4, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government announced a so-called ‘judicial reform bill’ that drastically overhauled the Israeli judiciary, raising its voice as a reform that should have been done a long time ago.
Among the series of reform measures being pushed by the Israeli government, a bill related to the prime minister’s job has already been passed.
The bill removed the Supreme Court’s ruling on the impeachment of the Prime Minister and the Attorney General’s authority to determine the unsuitability of the Prime Minister’s duties. Also, if the prime minister did not want to resign voluntarily, three-quarters of the cabinet members must agree to decide on suspension. And this decision needs the support of 90 members of the Knesset.
“Arguments Against the Bill”
Opponents of the bill are calling it a coup against the judiciary. They are raising their voices that the so-called judicial reform of the Netanyahu government undermines the separation of the three powers, which is the core of democracy, and damages the independence of the judiciary.
Also behind the opposition is a deep distrust of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Opponents of the bill claim it is aimed at protecting Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for charges including corruption and bribery, in the name of judicial reform.
In major cities such as Tel Aviv and Haifa, Israel’s commercial centers, large-scale protests have continued since the government announced the judicial reform plan in January.
In early March, protesters surrounded a high-end beauty salon in Tel Aviv.
At the time, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s wife, Sarah, came to this hair salon to get her hair done. When this fact was posted on social media, protesters flocked to the hair salon to denounce that the country is in turmoil and they are doing their hair at their leisure.
The Israeli government sent mounted police and border guards to the scene to get Sarah out of the salon. However, the incident further fueled the anger of the protesters.
An increasing number of reservists are also participating in protests by refusing their current missions or training. The reserve forces are the backbone of the Israeli military, and there are concerns that the outbreak could threaten Israel’s national security.
In fact, Defense Minister Yoav Galland recently expressed his opposition, saying that if the government enforces judicial reform as it is, it will result in a threat to Israel’s security. But Prime Minister Netanyahu fired him the very next day.
While an increasing number of major unions are going on general strikes, negative voices are coming out from the Israeli government and the ruling party on judicial reform. Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog warned that the national crisis could escalate into a “civil war”.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu took a step back”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has taken a hardline stance, saying there is no compromise, announced on March 27 that he would temporarily delay the legislative process for judicial reform.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said he wants to “avoid civil war” through compromise and negotiations to prevent major conflict and division. He stressed that dialogue could lead to a “broad consensus” being reached during the summer session.
The Knesset’s summer session runs from 30 April to 30 July.
When Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement came out, anti-government protests, which intensified after the dismissal of the defense minister, entered a calm phase. In addition, major unions that predicted a general strike have temporarily postponed their schedules. However, there is an analysis that it will not be enough to calm the public opinion of opponents who are demanding that the bill be scrapped altogether.
Even within the coalition government, there are voices refusing to negotiate with them. Some far-right conservative parties are eager to leave the coalition if they give up on judicial reform, and attention is focused on what kind of solution Prime Minister Netanyahu will come up with.
Ma Ying-jeou, former Taiwanese president
This is the ‘People in the News’ time, which introduces the hottest people in the latest news. Today’s protagonist is Ma Ying-jeou, former Taiwanese president.
Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou visited China this week.
Since Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang government was defeated in a civil war with the Communist Party in 1949 and exiled to Taiwan, it is the first time that Taiwan’s incumbent as well as former supreme leader has visited China.
Ma Ying-jeou served as Taiwan’s president twice, from 2008 to 2016.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou’s visit is drawing attention to the background, especially as current Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visits two Central American diplomatic partners, passing through the United States on the way back and forth.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou was born in 1950 and is 72 years old this year.
Former President Ma was born in Hong Kong, which was then a British colony.
His parents, who are rooted in Hunan Province, China, left mainland China after the Communist Party won the Chinese Civil War in 1949 and settled in Taiwan in 1951 via Hong Kong. He was born in this process.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou studied law at National Taiwan University. He holds a Master’s degree from New York University and a PhD from Harvard Law School, USA.
After studying abroad in the United States, he returned to Taiwan. Thanks to his fluent English, he once served as an interpreter for then-President Jiang Jing-guo.
Former President Ma served as the deputy secretary of the Kuomintang from 1984 to 1988. From 1993 to 1996 he served as Minister of Justice (Minister).
And in the Taipei mayoral election held two years later, he defeated Chen Shui-bian, the candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party, who would later become Taiwan’s president, and become mayor. He also won re-election in 2002. But during this time, his career was also dented when he was accused of embezzling public money.
In the 2008 Taiwan presidential election, he won a landslide victory over Xie Changting, a candidate of the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party. The economic development pledges he made at the time were largely effective.
As part of that, he promoted economic cooperation with China during his tenure and put forward several measures to improve relations, such as allowing immigration between the two countries.
There is also an analysis that former President Ma Ying-jeou’s China-friendly policy was partially influenced by his roots in mainland China.
Former President Ma has criticized the current ruling Democratic Progressive Party and President Tsai Ing-wen for their worst relationship with China. Former President Ma stressed that he would improve the atmosphere between the two countries and bring peace to China as soon as possible through his visit to China.
Catch up on the news Today, we looked at the controversy over judicial reform in Israel. As a person in the news, we learned about former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou.
