Towards dramatic reform: Justice Minister Yariv Levin learned this evening (Wednesday) that a series of measures were being advanced through a lightning procedure - each of which is an earthquake in itself. This was reported by Amit Segal, the senior political commentator for News 12.
Among the changes: advancing an override clause by a majority of 61, eliminating the reason for reasonableness, and politicians replacing lawyers on the judicial selection committee, and turning legal advisors in government offices into positions of trust.
Segal notes that this is not a complete list of the measures - but only those that will be advanced in the Knesset on first reading as early as next week or at the latest in two weeks.
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Changing the composition of the committee for selecting judges
The majority of judges and lawyers on the Judicial Selection Committee will be abolished - and in place of the two lawyers, another representative from the government and another representative from the Knesset will come. The judges will still have the right of veto, but politicians will have a majority on the committee for the first time.
Overriding clause by a majority of 61
The Knesset will be able to override the High Court of Justice with a majority of 61, and the court will be prohibited by law from invalidating basic laws.
Cancellation of the reason for reasonableness
The timing here is particularly dramatic: it is the eve of the High Court hearing on the issue of disqualifying Deri's appointment on grounds of reasonableness. The government has already made it clear that in any case it will not allow Deri to be disqualified on grounds of reasonableness or due to the invalidation of the amendment to the Basic Law that was enacted for him.
These are just some of the changes, but they are destined to shake up the legal system to its foundations.
Ariel Kahane, the political columnist for 'Israel Hayom,' tweeted: "Justice Minister Yariv Levin will present the 'governance reform' tonight. Contrary to the hype that will flood the media in a minute, the reform was not born because of the Netanyahu trial and is not related to the Deri law. Levin has been promoting this agenda for exactly 20 years.".
""I myself conducted an interview with him on the subject when he was a young attorney and a beginning political activist in Modi'in.
""The reform is intended to restore balance to the relations between the authorities, after the legal revolution led by Aharon Barak - a revolution that the people, who are the sovereign, were never asked about.".
"Now, the checks, balances, and democratic rights will be restored to their place. And it is important to emphasize that many leftists support the reform. Daniel Friedman, Haim Ramon, and Manny Mautner are just examples.".
Opposition Chairman Yair Lapid: "Not only will we fight in every possible way against each and every one of the measures that Yariv Levin will announce tonight, I announce in advance that we will cancel them the day we return to power. Anyone who carries out a unilateral coup against the regime in Israel should know that we are not obligated to it in any way.".
