Page 19 - Basic Laws News Today

A leading Israeli lawyer urged the Supreme Court Tuesday to strike down a controversial plank of the government's judicial reforms, saying it had already caused "severe damage" to Israeli democracy.An unprecedented 15-judge panel convened to hear petitions against legislation which challenges the powers of the top court itself, by curbing its ability to overturn government decisions.Detractors say the move paves the way for authoritarian rule, as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Ne...

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For almost nine months, Israelis have been fighting over the future of their Supreme Court. Today, that battle has moved into the Supreme Court itself.

The over 12-hour hearing is the culmination of a year of political and legal turmoil for Israel over the first judicial reform legislation to pass into law.

While appearing to defend their oversight authority, president and other judges don't seem certain that damage posed by reasonableness legislation can justify annulling a Basic Law

Petitioners claim legislation undermines democracy; government insists court has no right to intervene. High Court justices may decide time is not ripe for such a fateful decision

From the blog of Benyamin Moalem at The Times of Israel

Demonstrators try to block justice minister's car; large rally to be held later in the day outside Supreme Court ahead of Tuesday session on petitions against reasonableness law

Demonstration held in Jerusalem day before judges mull petitions against reasonableness law, the only piece of legislation passed so far in Netanyahu government's judicial shakeup

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