Israel: Knesset to debate on major part of govt's judicial reform
On Thursday evening, Netanyahu addressed the nation calling for unity and vowing to remain 'open' to negotiations with the opposition
Israel's parliament has entered two crucial days to determine the country’s future. Starting from Sunday noon, the Knesset debates will be held on a judicial reform bill submitted by the coalition and aimed at limiting the Israeli courts’ ability to rule on the "reasonableness" of the government’s decisions.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was hospitalized overnight to undergo a cardiac surgery to receive a pacemaker at the Sheba Tel HaShomer Medical Center in Tel Aviv.
"He will remain under medical supervision in the cardiology department," the hospital said in a statement. Prior to the surgery, Netanyahu said that he’ll attend the voting on the reasonableness clause.
The bill, approved in the first reading two weeks ago, will then be voted on in the second and third reading, which will take place on Monday. If passed, it will be the first major component of the proposed judicial reform to become law.
The reasonableness clause forced Netanyahu in January to dismiss the government's number two, Aryeh Deri, convicted for tax evasion, following the intervention of the Supreme Court.
Thousands of demonstrators, opposed to the reform, gathered Saturday evening outside the Knesset and the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, after having marched from Tel Aviv to the country’s capital, in order to put pressure on the lawmakers.
Several of the protesters set up makeshift tents near the parliament building and promised to spend the night there, while thousands of Israeli demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday in Tel Aviv and in other cities across the country.
In addition, nearly 10,000 reservists from different units of the Israeli army threatened on Saturday to suspend their voluntary service if the Knesset adopts the bill.
On Thursday evening, Netanyahu addressed the nation calling for unity and vowing to remain “open” to negotiations with the opposition, while the judicial reform plans also aroused criticism abroad, in particular in the United States. Reports said on Wednesday that U.S. President Joe Biden urged the Israeli government not to "rush" its reforms without broad consensus.