Amid the backdrop of mounting public unrest and protests Israeli lawmakers passed a controversial bill on 24 July that will severely limit the Supreme Court’s powers. The bill passed 64-0 with all MPs from PM Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition voting in favor while the 56 opposition MPs abstained.
The bill annuls a previous law which allowed the Supreme Court to review and overturn government decisions and appointments. With the Supreme Court effectively the only check on the government’s powers, the move has been widely condemned as undermining the country’s democracy. The government in turn argues that the judiciary interferes too much with legislation and as an unelected body it has overstepped the mark. (CONTINUED - 314 WORDS)
