Israeli Apex Court to Decide Over Controversial Judicial Reform

After months of protests against the hardline Israeli government’s highly controversial judicial overhaul, an historic showdown is taking place.

All 15 Supreme Court judges are convening for the first time to hear petitions against a legal amendment that limits their own powers.

Thousands of Israelis gathered for a rally outside the court in Jerusalem on Monday night in support of the judges.

In July, the nationalist-religious governing coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed through an important change as part of its radical judicial overhaul

It cancelled the ability of all courts to block government actions and appointments using the legal standard that they were “unreasonable”.

Supporters of the judicial overhaul say it will re-balance the branches of power. However, supporters of the overhaul argued that the move strengthened democracy by preventing the court from overturning the actions of an elected government.

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The Supreme Court – which could take weeks or months to deliberate – is under pressure to strike down the law. If it does so, though, members of Mr. Netanyahu’s government are threatening to ignore its decision.

That could lead to a constitutional crisis over who has the greater authority.

Israeli media have reported some moves toward a compromise between the government and the opposition, while Netanyahu said Monday he said aimed to “reach a national consensus to restore the balance of power” between the branches of government.

Israel does not have a constitution or upper house of parliament, and the “reasonableness” law was put in place to allow judges to determine whether a government had overreached its powers.

The Supreme Court used the measure in a high-profile ruling which barred Aryeh Deri, a Netanyahu ally, from serving in the cabinet because of a tax evasion conviction.

He rejects the accusation.