In a move described by observers as "historic", the Supreme Court of Justice of Israel, today, is discussing appeals filed by the opposition against the law "limiting reasonableness", that law voted by the Knesset, last July, and significantly limits the court's ability to intervene in government decisions even if it considers them unreasonable and illogical،

Edited by| Hugh Gey

Middle East  section -  CJ journalist

Tel Aviv - September,12,2023

The full Supreme Court is meeting for the first time ever to consider appeals filed against it, as the most prominent law of the controversial "judicial reform" plan, which the opposition calls a coup.

Observers stressed that the court's decision, however different, may ignite the Israeli arena, and lead to a strong clash and open war between citizens, whether it comes to canceling the reform plan, or supporting it, in light of the vertical division in Israeli society, after the amendments prompted tens of thousands of Israelis to demonstrate.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, one of the architects of the "judicial reform" plan, considered that today's decisive court session "constitutes fatal damage to democracy and the prestige of the Knesset", according to him, "the people are sovereign and their will is expressed in the basic laws enacted by the Knesset (Israel does not have a constitution, but basic laws enacted by the Knesset)".

The court is considering the issue of judicial amendments, especially the unreasonableness law, which was passed as the basis Law in the Israeli Knesset, stressing that the court's cancellation of the law creates a huge legal vacuum, but if it does not intervene, this fascist government will give a great possibility to enact racist laws in the future, it can lead the judiciary and limit the foundations of democracy.

On Monday evening, tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in front of the Supreme Court in Jerusalem in support of it in the face of what they called "mafia threats" by government ministers against its judges.

It is noteworthy that the "limitation of reasonableness" law is one of 8 draft laws within the "judicial reform" plan, which the government says aims to achieve a balance between the three legislative, executive and judicial powers, while the opposition says that the talk is about an "authoritarian coup" that will destroy democracy in Israel.