Explained: What Is Netanyahu's Judicial Reform Bill That Has Sparked Massive Protests In Israel

Israel Judical Overhaul: As Israel grapples with one of the most serious domestic crises in its history, we explain what is the judicial reform bill and why Israel is seeing such widespread protests.

Since the beginning of this year, Israel has been rocked by massive protests against contentious judicial overhaul bills pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government. The protests have intensified as Israel's Parliament (Knesset) deliberates the "reasonableness" bill -- by which the government plans to limit the Supreme Court's powers -- ahead of final voting.

The bills have triggered months of demonstrations, now in its 29th week, and been questioned by Israel's top allies, including the United States. 

As Israel grapples with one of the most serious domestic crises in its history, we explain what is the judicial reform bill? Why Israel is seeing such widespread protests? and, how have world leaders reacted.

What Is The Judicial Reform Bill That Has Angered People In Israel?

In simple terms, the bills are aimed at limiting Supreme Court rulings and allowing politicians to appoint most of the justices to the bench. Thus, the power of the Supreme Court to review or scrap legislations will be considerably weakened. 

The first bill proposes a simple majority in Israeli Parliament to overturn Supreme Court decisions. However, last month, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu said he was no longer seeking to grant Parliament the authority to overturn Supreme Court rulings.

"The idea of an override clause, where the parliament, the Knesset, can override the decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority... I threw that out," Netanyahu said in the interview.

The second bill proposes letting the government have a decisive say on who becomes a judge, including in the Supreme Court, by increasing its representation on the panel that appoints them.

What Have The Protesters Said On The Judicial Overhaul Plan?

It must be noted here that neither does Israel have a formal Constitution like India nor does it have a second legislative chamber, like the Rajya Sabha. Thus, Israel's Supreme Court keeps checks and balances on the executive's powers.

Netanyahu's opponents have termed the proposed judicial overhaul to be a move towards dictatorship by removing the most significant check on the government's actions.

Critics have also stressed that the reforms were meant to shield Netanyahu, who faces criminal trial over corruption charges in three separate cases, BBC reported. Netanyahu has rejected the accusation.

The Opposition also fears that the government might go on with its plans of full annexation of the occupied West Bank as well as policies against LGBTQ people, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, the Israel Bar Association is preparing a legal challenge to the bill, CNN reported. It plans to petition the Supreme Court to cancel the reasonableness law if it gets passed in Parliament.

Thus, if the bills are passed, Israel may face an unprecedented crisis in which the Supreme Court could strike down all or parts of the legislation while the Netanuahu government may choose not to comply.

What Has The Government Said?

The government has argued that the bills were needed to reduce the powers of unelected judges while saying that the judiciary interfered too much with legislation, BBC reported.

The government has also accused the judiciary of being biased in support of liberal issues.

The ruling coalition have called the measures "reforms", saying they were required to rebalance powers between the courts, lawmakers and the government, CNN reported.

Have The Protests Been Able To Achieve Anything?

For several months now, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to streets in Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem, Beersheva, Herzliya and Kfar Saba to protest against the judicial overhaul plans.

While the protests have been largely leaderless, the Netanyahu government has faced pressure from military reservists and Israel's important tech sector. More than 1,000 Israel Air Force reserve officers have also vowed to stop volunteering if the judicial overhaul bill was passed, CNN reported.

Hospitals, universities and labour workers have also announced strikes against Netanyahu's decision.

In March, then defence minister Yoav Galant had called for a freeze to the legislation. However, Netanyahu fired Galant over his opposition to the proposals, sparking another round of massive protests. Gallant was, however, reinstated in April.

Amid the chaos, Netanyahu had decided to delay the judicial overhaul proposal until the next Parliamentary session. The government now aims to pass the bill before Parliament goes into recess on July 30.

How Have World Leaders, Israel's Allies Reacted?

Israel's allies have expressed concern about the legislation and its potential implications.

US President Joe Biden, in a statement to Axios, asked Benjamin Netanyahu not to move forward with the Parliament vote on the bill.

"It looks like the current judicial reform proposal is becoming more divisive, not less," Biden told Netanyahu, according to Axios. "Given the range of threats and challenges confronting Israel right now, it doesn't make sense for Israeli leaders to rush this -- the focus should be on pulling people together and finding consensus," Biden further said.