Israel’s Justice Minister Yariv Levin on Sunday accused the country’s attorney general, Gali Baharav-Miara, and the president of the country’s Supreme Court, Esther Hayut, of trying to «stage a coup d’état» against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by admitting to a hearing an appeal filed by a group against the highly controversial judicial reform being prepared by the Executive.
Levin, in particular, condemned the Supreme Court’s decision to consider a petition filed by a group of lawyers and activists, the so-called Movement for a Quality Government, to force the prime minister to take a «leave of absence». The petition argues that Netanyahu, in seeking to enact sweeping judicial changes, violates a conflict of interest agreement that prevents him from participating in matters that could affect his ongoing corruption trial.
The Israeli Prosecutor’s Office has been forced to deny that it has taken a position in favor of this petition, as claimed by Israeli media. In any case, the arguments should be submitted by March 12 at the latest.
«An attempt to overthrow a prime minister against the law and trampling on democratic elections is no different from a coup carried out with tanks,» said Levin in comments reported by the Times of Israel.
«The intention is the same intention, and the result is the same result. We will not allow this coup attempt, which illustrates how urgently reform of the judicial system is needed to restore democracy and checks and balances among government authorities,» he said.
Critics of the reform argue that it attacks such checks and balances, if approved by the Knesset (the Israeli parliament), by giving the government control over the judicial selection committee and limiting the authority of legal advisors.
The reform has drawn criticism from multiple fronts, starting with Supreme Court President Esther Hayut, who accused Levin in January of instigating an «unbridled attack on the justice system.» According to a poll published by Channel 12, 31 percent call for the reform to be annulled and another 31 want it postponed. Only 24 percent want the reform to continue.
Although Netanyahu has promised that he will listen to all sides and respond to complaints, the protest has resulted in massive demonstrations every Saturday night and a general strike is called for this Monday, coinciding with the first vote on the bill.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has even asked Prime Minister Netanyahu to build a popular «consensus» around the controversial reform, in statements that are unusual for an American leader due to his frankness on an internal Israeli issue.
«Building a consensus on fundamental changes,» Biden said of the reform, «is important to ensure that the people accept them, and can be sustained by them.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
