Crisis in Israel's Judiciary - The Political Turmoil in the Country, Controversy Surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Crisis in Israel's Judiciary - The Political Turmoil in the Country, Controversy Surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

In 2023, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that changes to his judiciary had been "suspended," many obstacles arose in the way of his plans for reimplementation. However, in the last ten days, Netanyahu has moved beyond the existential crisis in Gaza, attempting to dismiss the head of Shin Bet, introducing a motion of no confidence against the Attorney General, and passing a new law to alter the Supreme Court appointment process.

The New Law and Its Impact: The new law passed last Thursday has sparked criticism from Netanyahu's opponents, who argue that it will alter the Supreme Court appointment process in a way that allows politicians to have more influence in appointing members who align with their interests. This change will take effect in the next parliamentary term. This step has raised concerns over the independence of Israel’s judiciary, leading to suspicions that it is a well-coordinated effort to weaken the judiciary.

Political Influence in the Judiciary: The new law changes the structure of the Judicial Selection Committee, which will now allow politicians to have greater control over Supreme Court appointments. Israel's Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, has warned that this could undermine the professionalism of the judiciary.

As a result, the judicial appointment process will now be influenced more by political discussions and compromises, which critics fear will turn it into a politically partisan process and damage the independence of the judiciary.

Netanyahu's 'Interests' in the Judiciary: Netanyahu's critics argue that his proposed changes to the judicial system are primarily aimed at advancing his personal political interests. The current prime minister is making these changes to protect his own interests within the legal system, which may undermine his ongoing corruption trials.

Netanyahu is currently facing three corruption charges involving bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Critics argue that these judicial changes could help disrupt the ongoing legal proceedings against him.

Public Protests and Future Challenges: There has been widespread anger and protests among the Israeli public against Netanyahu’s judicial reforms. In January 2023, massive protests erupted against these changes, which were among the largest in Israel’s history.

Now, the Israeli public and opposition parties are preparing to challenge this new law in the Supreme Court. However, the only effective remedy may be Netanyahu’s loss in the next general election, which is expected to take place by the end of 2026.