Major Israeli media on Friday greeted Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government coldly, fearing it would overhaul the justice system at a time when the prime minister is facing corruption charges in a number of cases.
Following November 1 elections and weeks of negotiations with ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties, Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in on Thursday as prime minister to lead the most right-wing government in the history of the Jewish state.
Among ministerial portfolios, those linked to justice and assigned to Yariv Levin, who is close to the prime minister, received more attention on Friday, while Arab media were interested in naming Eli Cohen, the security official who has been the godfather of the accord of normalization, to the office of Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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And “Yedioth Ahronoth” wrote that “most frightening for those who fear a radical change in the Israeli system and changes in the judicial system that would lead to a complete transformation of the democratic character of the state of Israel, is the appointment of Yariv Levin as Minister of Justice”.
And he continued: “Netanyahu has made many concessions to his allies (…) to allow him to assign the Ministry of Justice to Yariv Levin (…). Netanyahu does not stop talking about Iran, but his whole mind is occupied his process.
Israeli Attorney General Gali Bahrav-Miara warned in mid-December that future government bills threaten to transform Israel into a “democracy in name, not in substance”.
The free daily Israel Hayom, the most widely read and pro-Netanyahu newspaper, saw Yariv Levin’s appointment as “a clear sign that the prime minister wants to move forward with changes in the judicial system”.
What are these changes? The agreements signed between Netanyahu’s Likud party (right) and his coalition parties refer in particular to the introduction of a law allowing the refusal to provide services for religious reasons or on the basis of gender segregation in public places. MPs generally believe that judges have broad powers and want to insert an “exception clause”.
In Israel, which has no constitution, the Supreme Court can overturn laws passed by parliamentarians if it deems them discriminatory, for example. But the new government wants to enact an “exception clause”, which would allow it to put a law rejected by the judges into practice.
The right-wing newspaper Makor Rishon has indicated that a “battle” is looming between the Supreme Court and the supporters of this legal amendment. He said: “Yariv Levin will not have a hundred days of mercy, just ten. Within a few days, he (…) will have to clarify his intentions and the legislative program of the government.”
In the event that the judiciary rejects this law, the inclusion of the “exception clause” will allow MPs to maintain it.
For example, if lawmakers vote to overturn Netanyahu’s corruption trial and the court later overturns that vote, the “opt-out clause” would allow the court’s decision to overturn the trial to be stayed, analysts said.
For the left-wing newspaper Haaretz, the purpose of Yariv Levin’s appointment is clear to “destroy the rule of law, the institutions and the entire system” by allowing parliament to “override” the judiciary.
And the newspaper continued in its editorial: “Fighting a government that strips democracy of its values is not sedition (…) rather it is a duty of the opposition and of civil society. It is the moment of truth”.
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