Author: AFSI Staff

Knesset Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman intends to submit in the coming days his own version of a judicial reform bill. The wording that Rothman will present will not be the same as that presented by Justice Minister Yariv Levin. It will include changes and, among other things, the composition of the committee for the appointment of judges will be slightly different from Levin’s proposal – but apparently the principle that the coalition will have a majority on the committee will be maintained.

Rothman’s goal is to promote the reform quickly after the attorney general indicated that it would take weeks for her to formulate her opinion on his and Levin’s proposals.

Justice reform is reasonable and right, as David Weinberger lays out in his Israel Hayom article. The much-too-powerful actors in Israel’s legal system have upset Israeli democracy by usurping powers they were never intended to have by Israel’s founders or parliamentarians; powers that extend far beyond those held by the legal system in any other democracy.

Whether the proposal submitted by Levin or Rothman get passed, there is no threat to Democracy presented, only a long overdue need to restore the balance of power between the judiciary, legislature, and government. Judicial reform is mandatory in order to restore checks, and balances to the Israeli judicial system. Levin has proposed one method of reform, Rothman’s may be more acceptable to the public.

Sources:
Judicial reform is reasonable and right, by  David M. Weinberg/Israel Hayom, January 17, 2023

MK Rothman to submit new judicial reform bill in coming days, by Israel National News, January 17, 2023

In a lightning campaign conducted by members of the Sovereignty Youth Movement, more than one thousand signatures were gathered from teenagers and youths calling upon the Israeli government to apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley first. In the coming days, with the completion of the signature gathering, the petition will be submitted to the Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and the government ministers.

The youth are calling upon the new Israeli government to implement the promises made by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu many times in the past regarding his commitment to the application of sovereignty in the Jordan Valley. These promises, the movement mentions, have the broad support of all the members of the coalition, as well as the members of the opposition loyal to the Zionist vision.

AFSI’s late Co-Director, Helen Freedman, z”l, was convinced that AFSI’s next most important mission was to educate young people about Israel’s truth. It’s clear that Israel’s youth are well educated on this subject and have chosen to assert themselves. They are an integral part of the building and maintaining the Zionist dream. Helen would be overjoyed with pride to see Israel’s youth taking a stand in support of sovereignty.

Source:
Sovereignty Youth Is Petitioning: Sovereignty Over the Jordan Valley first, by Israel National News, January 17, 2023

The Fight for Every Dunam forum last Thursday released a report titled, Mount Ebal: A Wake-Up Call – an exposé of the plan the Palestinian Authority is promoting at Joshua’s altar. The report suggests that in recent years, the PA has been investing efforts in paving roads as a means of taking over land on the Ebal ridge in general, and the historic site of Joshua’s altar in particular.

Now, official documents of the PA’s Local Government Ministry the Struggle for Every Dunam acquired by Fight for Every Dunam reveal a construction plan for dozens of lots around the area of the ancient Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal.

This is yet another challenge for the new government and we trust they will act swiftly to reverse this and begin the very overdue process to re-take and protect Area C.

Source:
Report: PA Constructing Illegal Settlement in and around Joshua’s Altar, by David Israel/Jewish Press, January 13, 2023

Justice Minister Yariv Levin published for the first time yesterday the draft of his bill to reform Israel’s judicial system.

Among many on the agenda is the goal to change the composition of the committee for the selection of Supreme Court justices. The court’s ability to annul laws enacted by the Knesset will be limited and an Override Clause will be enacted allowing a majority of 61 MKs to repass laws struck down by the Supreme Court.

Further proposed is that each branch of government – the Knesset, the federal government, and the judiciary – determine its own representatives and no branch will interfere in the selection of the representatives of the other branches, nor in the working procedures of the committee or in their judgment and finally in their decisions on the selection of justices.

Levin’s reforms to the judiciary also include promoting legislation to allow the appointment of a Supreme Court president who is not part of the current court.

Israel’s legislative remedy is in motion and we look forward to the the proper role of the Supreme Court be restored and codified. Levin’s critics are outraged and say his push for judicial reforms are the beginning of the end of Israel’s sovereignty. We say it’s the beginning of strengthening Israel’s democracy and paving a path for the road to full sovereignty.

Sources:
Justice Minister publishes judicial reform bill, by Israel National News, January 11, 2023

Report: Justice Minister Levin planning another judicial reform, by Israel National News, January 10, 2023

The Young Settlement Forum is launching a new campaign calling on government ministers to speed up regulation of the young communities. This comes on the heels of the new government’s turn around, overnight Tuesday, where most Zionist opposition parties supported the coalition vote to renew Emergency Regulations in Judea and Samaria.

The emergency regulations were created shortly after the Six Day War to regulate the legal situation created as a result of Israel’s control of the “territories” seized in the war.

Unlike the previous government that opposed the 5-year renewal using it as a political football to take down the opposition party, we’re glad to see Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration deliver a swift renewal. However, this emergency regulation should not have to exist to begin with. Jews have a legal right to the Land of Israel and no special set of laws or approvals in Judea and Samaria should be required. The real emergency regulation that must be applied is SOVEREIGNTY NOW!

Sources:
This Time Coalition and Opposition Extend Judea, Samaria Emergency Regulations, by David Israel/Jewish Press, January 10, 2023

Young Settlement Forum to Ministers: “Now it’s up to you”, by Israel National News, January 10, 2023

Civil Administration inspectors on Tuesday destroyed an illegal structure built by Arabs in Area C near the settlement of Peduel in Samaria. The building’s demolition comes after a long struggle by the Samaria Regional Council and the Regavim.

Regavim responded: “the building that was destroyed this morning is in the area of the Sarida Nature Reserve, which suffers from massive Palestinian takeover through building construction, road construction, and agricultural work, all without a permit and against the law.”

This is welcomed news. Enforcing the law and asserting Israel’s legal rights are finally off to a good start and on the right path under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We look forward to more activity on the urgent need to take back Area C.

Source:
The battle over Area C: illegal Arab building near Peduel finally destroyed, by Israel National News, January 10, 2023

Israel on Sunday transferred 138.8 million shekels ($39.5 million) of revenues collected for the Palestinian Authority to the victims of terrorism and their families.
At a press conference yesterday Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “We promised to fix this, and today we are correcting an injustice. This is an important day for morality, for justice and for the fight against terrorism.”

The P.A. pays monthly stipends to Palestinians, and/or their families, for carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel. In 2021, the P.A. paid out an estimated 512 million shekels ($157 million) as part of this “pay for slay” policy.

The “pay for slay” program is just one terrorist tactic the PA employs. While no amount of money can reverse the injuries, damages, and loss of life to Israelis, we are glad to see Smotrich take steps to correct this horrible injustice. The PA encourages and commits terrorism against Israel and wants her wiped off the map. Until they can conduct themselves in a serious manner befitting the human race, no help for them, no negotiation, nothing.

Source:
Israel moves ahead with transfer of PA funds to terror victims, by Jewish News Syndicate, January 9, 2023

MK Danny Danon is drafting a plan to apply Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, a move which would become the first move by Israel to extend its laws over parts of Judea and Samaria since the expansion of Jerusalem’s boundaries shortly after the Six Day War in 1967.

Though not included in the new Netanyahu government, Danon will instead focus on drafting right-wing legislation – including a plan to push for full sovereignty over the Jordan Valley.

The move challenges the approach favored by some coalition members, who prefer a staggered approach, starting with measures creating de facto Israeli sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria. By contrast, Danon’s plan would explicitly extend Israeli sovereignty over the strategic area on Israel’s eastern border in a single step.

The bill is being drafted with the support of the Sovereignty Movement and Jordan Valley Regional Council chairman David Elhayani.

This is the kind of news we are happy to report on. The fulfillment of the wishes of Israel’s voters and the execution of Israel taking back what is rightfully hers.

Source:
Likud MK drafting plan to apply Israeli sovereignty to Jordan Valley, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, January 9, 2023

Last week, a new petition was submitted to the Jerusalem District Court demanding stop-work and demolition orders against a new three-story luxurious villa complete with a swimming pool in its expansive yard. Of course, this was built without a permit in violation of the law near the village of Al-Funduq, in Area C, which is under full Israeli jurisdiction.

The villa was built on the designated path of the Al-Funduq bypass road, a new thoroughfare planned by the Israel Roadworks company at a cost of hundreds of thousands of shekels, to ease traffic congestion in the area and improve road safety and security for all residents of the area – Jews and Arabs alike. This illegal mansion is obstructing the construction of the new road, thwarting development, and deepening the traffic chaos in the region from which all residents suffer.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan said, “This is absurd. The state plans to invest millions of shekels to double the capacity of the road to provide a safety and security solution for thousands of Israelis and Palestinians, but on the other hand, it does not enforce the law and does not maintain the area.”

We trust we can look forward to MK Bezalel Smotrich making the demolition of this illegal structure a priority and allow for the legal and necessary building of the new road that will serve to benefit everyone.

Source:
Regavim Petitions Court to Demolish Illegal PA Arab Mansion Obstructing Major Samaria Road Project, by David Israel/Jewish, January 9, 2023

Between 1978 and 2006, the former president of Israel’s Supreme Court, Justice Aharon Barak, commanded a vigorous and impudent effort to raise the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court and the High Court of Justice, above the other two branches of government––the Knesset and the government. He did this through intricate rulings, ever-increasing power grabs and installing his agents as legal counselors in all the government ministries––to the point where, despite the shrinking political power of the old leftist elites that established the state of Israel 75 years ago, Justice Barak’s clique of dedicated judges continued and even increased their tyrannical hold on the country’s legal system, and its legislative and executive branches.

A little after 8 PM on Wednesday, Justice Minister Yariv Levin took the podium at the Knesset in front of all the media outlets in the country and announced a series of moves that, in a relatively short time, could be weeks, would bring down Barak’s entire magnificent array of sandcastles, returning Israel to the sanity of the days when justices ruled based on the law, and not on what they believed the law should be.

Here is an outline of the initial four changes Levin will submit to the Knesset:
A change in the composition of the committee to select judges. The judges will no longer choose themselves in chambers without a protocol.
The disqualification of laws by the high court will be regulated. The court may no longer question the basic laws, which are Israel’s equivalent to a constitution.
The High Court may no longer use the “unreasonable cause” argument to invalidate government action. From now on, if it’s legal, it’s legal.
Finally, the legal counselors installed in every government ministry are just that – they offer their legal advice – and the minister is free to use or reject it.

It’s imperative that Israel’s public trust be restored with a drastic reform of its judicial system. While drastic sounds like a revolutionary way to describe this, it’s what is required for a return to sanity – a return to the rule of law and not personal interests taking priority. The court exists to work on behalf of the interests and wishes of the people who voted them in. A return to what is right, lawful, and just can only strengthen Israel’s democracy.

Source:
In 10 Minutes Justice Minister Levin Wipes Out Aharon Barak’s 30-Year Judicial Revolution, by David Israel/Jewish Press, January 4, 2023