Israel’s governing coalition presses ahead with plan to overhaul courts

Tel Aviv, July 17

Israel’s governing coalition pushed ahead on Monday with its contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary, despite growing opposition from within the country’s military and a wave of mass protests expected this week.

A parliamentary committee was preparing a Bill that would limit judicial oversight on some government decisions, legislation that has sparked intensifying criticism from military reservists in elite units, including the air force and cyberwarfare.

Many have warned they will not show up for duty if the overhaul moves ahead. Reservists, who make up the backbone of the country’s mostly compulsory military, played a key role in prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pause the overhaul plan earlier this year.

In response to the legislation, which is expected to go before a final parliamentary vote early next week, a large protest movement is expected to stage a “day of disruption” on Tuesday. These days of mass protest in the past have snarled traffic, choked the terminal at Israel’s main international airport and descended into clashes between police and demonstrators.

The judicial overhaul, advanced by Netanyahu’s nationalist and religious government, has deeply divided Israel, plunging it into one of its worst domestic crises and even sparking concern from its most important ally, the US. Netanyahu paused the overhaul in March, facing a wave of mass protests, labour strikes that halted outgoing flights and many other sectors and pledges by military reservists to not show up for duty if the legislation advanced. — AP

‘Won’t tolerate military no-shows at protests’

Jerusalem: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to crack down on Monday against threatened no-shows for military reserve duty by opponents of his judicial overhaul plan, saying such actions were anti-democratic and risked emboldening the country’s foes. Reuters