Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a softening today of his government’s judicial overhaul plan, an apparent concession to more than two months of unprecedented nationwide protests and misgivings voiced by Western allies. His statement was met with ridicule by protest leaders, who noted that the increased focus on the nomination and confirmation of justices is tantamount to a revolution.
The Constitution Committee met today to continue its debates on the reform package, and the government has made it clear that it intends to advance the section related to the Judicial Appointments Committee within the next few days, before the Knesset breaks up for the Passover recess.
“The [new] proposal we’re presenting comes after the total refusal of the opposition to engage with us,” MK Simcha Rothman noted. “We’re extending our hands to them, once again. There are another 50 days until the legislation moves forward [after the recess] and that’s plenty of time to discuss and debate.”
Time waits for no one. Unless the opposition can bring to the table their suggestions for reversing decades of judicial imbalances and abuses, we suggest they accept the rule of the majority.