Israel’s Supreme Court has announced that a full panel of 15 justices will hear petitions in September regarding a controversial law recently passed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The law is part of a series of proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary that aim to limit the power of the Supreme Court. These changes have sparked widespread protests and have been criticized by the White House.
Opponents of the judicial overhaul argue that it would concentrate power in the hands of the ruling coalition and undermine the system of checks and balances between branches of government. They believe that unelected judges are being given too much authority. On the other hand, proponents of the changes argue that they are necessary to curtail the activism of the Supreme Court.
Last week, Netanyahu and his allies passed a law that removes the Supreme Court’s ability to nullify government decisions that are considered “unreasonable.” This move has been seen as a direct response to the court’s intervention in the appointment of a Netanyahu ally as interior minister, who had pleaded guilty to tax offenses.
The hearing to challenge the law will take place on September 12 and will be conducted by a full panel of 15 justices. Typically, the Supreme Court hears cases with smaller panels of justices, but for this delicate matter, a full complement of judges has been chosen.
Netanyahu’s push to overhaul the judiciary has further polarized an already divided country and has led to the longest sustained protests in Israel’s history. His administration took office in December following multiple elections, many of which were viewed as referendums on Netanyahu’s corruption charges.