FAQ: WHY HAS ISRAEL PLUNGED INTO A CRISIS?
CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR 30TH JULY, 2023
FAQ: WHY HAS ISRAEL PLUNGED INTO A CRISIS?
Israel's governing coalition passes a part of its judicial overhaul plan in the Knesset that would curtail the Supreme Court's oversight power of government decisions.
The Knesset legislation abolishes the "reasonable doctrine", which the top court has often employed assess key government decisions and ministerial appointments.
Reasonableness is a legal standard used in several countries such as Australia, Canada and U.K by the top courts to assess the government's decisions.
Since Israel does not have a written constitution, this doctrine has worked as judicial check on executive decisions.
The original overhaul plan has different part which together would strengthen the hands of the government over the courts. One of them was the abolition of the reasonability doctrine. The government also seeks greater control over judicial appointments. Under the current system, judges are chosen by a nine member panel–3 Supreme Court judges, 2 members of the Israeli Bar Association, 2 members of Parliament and 2 Ministers.
Another proposal seeks to do away with the legal obligation for Ministers to follow the advice given by their legal advisors.
Israel's current government, composed of Likud (right-wing), United Torah Judaism and Shas (ultra-orthodox) and Religious Zionist and Jewish Power (extreme right) is the most right wing government till date. The right has criticized the judiciary for blocking its legislative and governmental pushes aimed at transforming society and expanding settlements in the Palestinian territories.
Israel's Opposition and civil society accuse the government of trying to undermine its democracy.