HAIFA, Israel—Large protests and strikes broke out after Israel’s parliament ratified legislation to limit the Supreme Court’s ability to challenge parliamentary decisions.
The Knesset passed an amendment on July 24 that prevents the Supreme Court from voiding some government decisions that it deems “unreasonable.” The vote passed 64–0 after opposition parties left the chamber in protest.
Demonstrations against the amendment began ahead of the vote, and police dragged away protesters who had chained themselves to posts and blocked the road outside the parliament building. By evening, thousands of protesters blocked highways and scuffled with police. Israeli police said at least 19 people had been arrested on July 24, a day after about 300,000 Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv in support of the judicial reform.
An Israeli police spokesperson said 12 police officers had been injured.
“The Israel Police takes seriously the attack and injury of 12 police officers during the disturbances that occurred today. The Israel Police considers the right to protest as a cornerstone in a democratic country, but at the same time we will have zero tolerance for violence against police officers and damage to symbols of government,” the spokesperson told local media late on July 24.
As of 10 p.m. local time, 32 demonstrators—including 19 who needed to be evacuated—had been given medical treatment. Included among the injured were those who'd been run over by a vehicle, forcibly evicted by police, hit by a stun gun, or had anxiety, as well as others suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.
There were no major protests announced on July 25.
Strikes
Dr. Zion Hagay, chairman of the Israel Medical Association, announced after the legislation passed that Israeli doctors and others working in the health care system would go on strike.However, a labor court ordered the health care workers to return to work shortly after their strike began.
The chairwoman of a large commercial real estate company that manages shopping malls and office buildings across the country said in a statement that shopping businesses would participate in the strike.
“To our deep regret, it seems that all the calls for a stop and negotiations did not achieve their goal,” wrote Danna Azrieli, who stated that Azrieli Group commerce centers and offices would be shutting down for the day.
About 150 of the largest businesses in Israel announced a decision to join the strike on July 24.
Broader Judicial Changes
The amendment is part of broader judicial changes that the government announced in January, soon after it was sworn in; it says the changes are needed to push back against what it calls overreach by a Supreme Court that it says has become too politically interventionist.The planned changes have caused months of unprecedented nationwide protests, both for and against the proposed changes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in televised remarks after sundown as the protests raged, said he would seek dialogue with the opposition with the aim of reaching an all-inclusive agreement by the end of November.
The law that was passed on July 24 includes a provision that prevents judges from striking down government decisions on the basis that they’re “extremely unreasonable.” It means that the Supreme Court wouldn’t be able to review decisions, such as the termination of officials, on the grounds of being unreasonable.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, an architect of the legislative package put forward by Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition government, said the amended legislative package “takes into account the comments and positions heard from the opposition.”
He cited a study by the Knesset Research and Information Center that found that there are no other countries in the world that have a blanket “reasonableness doctrine” that allows the Supreme Court to overturn legislation by elected representatives.
Mr. Levin said that Meir Shamgar, who was chief justice of the Supreme Court from 1983 to 1995, warned years ago of the inherent danger in the “reasonableness doctrine.”
“If every issue, starting from the budget for privatization and ending with the construction of housing, airplanes, and tanks, will be decided in the judicial forum ... this will create a concentration of powers that will effectively eliminate the ability of the other authorities to function,” Mr. Shamgar had said, according to Mr. Levin.
Tech Companies Protest Judicial Reform
The day after Israel’s Knesset ratified the legislation, a black, full-page ad covered the front page of many of Israel’s leading newspapers, reading at the bottom, “A black day for Israel’s democracy.”The ad was paid for by a group of tech companies protesting against the government’s judicial reform.
The tech sector has been a driving force in the protests against judicial reform. Israel’s nearly $500 billion economy is fueled by its tech sector, which accounts for more than half of the country’s exports and a quarter of its tax income.
A survey by the Israel Innovation Authority in July found that 76 percent of the companies surveyed responded that they intend to take active measures in light of the judicial reform and its implications. The survey was completed by 734 professionals, representing 521 companies that included both tech companies and investors.
‘Requests to Halt Reserve Duty’
The Israeli military said it may arrest reservists who pledged not to report for duty as part of protests against the government’s judicial overhaul, Army Radio reported last week.The military took its first known internal disciplinary action over the protests. One reservist was fined $270, and another was given a suspended 15-day jail sentence for ignoring call-ups.
