The Israeli government is continuing with the controversial legal reforms that have been protested for three months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised speech on Thursday “to do everything possible to restore calm and ensure unity”.
The reforms will reduce the power of the Supreme Court in Israel. Parliament will have more say. Critics see this as a threat to the separation of the legislative, executive and judiciary. According to Netanyahu, the changes are necessary to “restore balance”.
The prime minister spoke on television after summoning defense minister Yoav Gallant. According to Israeli media, Gallant intended to oppose the government’s plans. The Defense Ministry story is that Gallant briefed Netanyahu on the impact of the planned reforms on national security.
Opponents of the legal reforms regularly take to the streets to express their dissatisfaction. Israeli media reports that Thursday’s demonstrations attracted tens of thousands of participants. In Tel Aviv, police used a water cannon against protesters.
Israel’s parliament passed a law on Thursday making it more difficult to impeach a prime minister. That law is part of the legal reforms. A prime minister can only be impeached on the basis of “physical or psychological incapacity”.
In addition, three quarters of parliamentarians or cabinet members must agree with that assessment. The law suits Netanyahu well, as he is being prosecuted for corruption.
