Israeli Parliament Passes Controversial Judicial Reform, Redefining Judge Selection Process

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israel’s parliament passed a controversial law Wednesday morning that reshapes the committee that selects judges, a key part of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s judicial reform plan.

The Knesset passed the measure 67-1 after the opposition boycotted the final vote and walked out in protest. Earlier, lawmakers struck down over 71,000 opposition objections before approving the law reshaping the judicial selection committee.

The new law reshapes the Judicial Selection Committee, reducing judges’ influence and boosting political control. The nine-member panel will now include three justices, two ministers, two lawmakers (one from the coalition and one from the opposition), and two veteran lawyers selected by the coalition and opposition.

The law will take effect in the next Knesset, after Israel’s next general elections, set for October 2026.

Introduced in early 2023, Netanyahu’s judicial reform has become one of Israel’s most divisive political issues, triggering nationwide protests amid concerns about the future of its democratic institutions.

As the Knesset debated Wednesday night, thousands protested outside against the judicial reform, which critics say threatens Israeli democracy. The vote followed ongoing demonstrations, including a 10,000-strong rally Tuesday near government offices in Jerusalem.

Protesters arrived in convoys and set up a mock “Qatar Embassy,” portraying Netanyahu as a puppet of Doha—a nod to the recent “Qatar-Gate” scandal.

Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin dismissed the criticism, claiming the law was needed because the High Court had “effectively abolished the Knesset.” He accused the court of assuming powers “unimaginable in any democracy,” including striking down laws and basic laws.

“Our Supreme Court… has placed itself above the government,” he said. “It can invalidate any action… even puts itself in the place of the people… in questions concerning the term and removal of a prime minister — a crazy thing that is unparalleled anywhere.”

Levin said the new law ends the “friend-brings-friend system” in appointments, resolves conflicts of interest on the committee, and addresses concerns over government control.

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