Israeli President asks PM Netanyahu to halt judicial overhaul

The Israeli President on Monday (March 27) called upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to immediately halt a contentious judicial overhaul, throwing his weight behind voices across the country.

Isaac Herzog’s appeal comes as tens of thousands of people took to the streets around Israel in a spontaneous show of anger at Netanyahu’s move to fire his defence minister after he called for a pause to the overhaul.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged the government to halt its bitterly contested judicial overhaul, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sacked his defense minister for opposing the move, sparking mass street protests https://t.co/XEyDAbxeJR

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 27, 2023

Israel’s far-right government wants powers to override its Supreme Court, a controversial move that has also ignited criticism from some of Tel Aviv’s allies.

Also read: Netanyahu launches contentious overhaul as thousands protest

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said that defence minister Yoav Gallant’s dismissal was a “new low for the anti-Zionist government that harms national security and ignores warnings of all defence officials”.

“The prime minister of Israel is a threat to the security of the state of Israel,” Lapid tweeted.

Netanyahu’s plans

Netanyahu’s government is pushing ahead for a parliamentary vote this week on a centerpiece of the overhaul — a law that would give the governing coalition the final say over all judicial appointments.

The government also plans to push for parliamentary authority to override Supreme Court decisions with a basic majority and limit judicial review of laws.

Also read: Netanyahu returns to power in Israel: What it means to India and the world

The overhaul has sparked one of Israel’s gravest domestic crises, drawing widespread opposition from business leaders, legal officials, and even the military.

(With inputs from agencies)