Netanyahu drops key part of Israel judicial overhaul plans

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Netanyahu drops key part of Israel judicial overhaul plans

30 June 2023

By Yolande Knell
BBC News, Jerusalem

After months of protests, Israel's prime minister has made a surprise announcement that he is dropping one of the most contentious parts of his judicial overhaul plans.

However, Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks to The Wall Street Journal have failed to appease leaders of the demonstrations and have angered his coalition partners.

In an interview, Mr Netanyahu told the US newspaper he was no longer seeking to give parliament the authority to overturn Supreme Court rulings.

"The idea of an override clause, where the parliament, the Knesset, can override the decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority... I threw that out," he said.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-66055040

[Eugene]

1. Netanyahu angers coalition partners by ditching part of judicial overhaul

Source: The Guardian

Netanyahu angers coalition partners by ditching part of judicial overhaul

Israeli PM says he has thrown out controversial measure to allow parliament to override supreme court decisions

Bethan McKernan in Jerusalem
Fri 30 Jun 2023 15.57 BST

A surprise announcement from Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that one of the most controversial elements of his government’s proposed judicial overhaul will be dropped, has angered his coalition partners and failed to placate protesters opposed to the plans.

“The idea of an override clause, where the parliament, the Knesset, can override the decisions of the supreme court with a simple majority, I said, I threw that out … It’s out,” Netanyahu said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Thursday.

Another contested element giving politicians more control over the appointment of judges, would be revised, he said. The prime minister went on to say he was “attentive to the public pulse, and to what I think will pass muster”, and that he intended to find common ground with opponents of the plan.

Netanyahu’s coalition of rightwing and ultra-Orthodox parties introduced a package of sweeping judicial changes shortly after he returned to office in December. The legislation is aimed at curbing the influence of the country’s supreme court, which the Israeli right has long alleged is biased and too powerful.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/30/benjamin-netanyahu-angers-coalition-partners-by-ditching-part-of-judicial-overhaul

No-registration link: https://archive.fo/vgsg6

[Israeli]

2. Yeah right .

In U-turn, Netanyahu said to reassure ministers override clause has not been shelved

Days after telling Wall Street Journal he ‘threw out’ controversial bill, PM reportedly tells fuming cabinet behind closed doors that softened version of legislation could return

By TOI STAFF
Today.

@ https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-u-turn-netanyahu-said-to-reassure-ministers-override-clause-has-not-been-shelved/

Likud’s Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distel Atbaryan said in an interview Friday that she was “correcting a bit what Netanyahu said,” adding that the override clause “is not completely off the table” but perhaps will be amended to require a supermajority to overturn court rulings — despite Netanyahu also ruling that option out in his comments.

Likud’s Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar said in an interview Thursday that “my assessment is that the override clause will come in the future.”