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Knesset committee approves judicial overhaul bills as protests continue in Jerusalem

Knesset committee approves judicial overhaul bills as protests continue in Jerusalem

Knesset committee approves judicial overhaul bills as protests continue in Jerusalem

An Israeli parliament committee on Wednesday approved key bills which restrict Supreme Court's power to expunge unconstitutional laws. The Israeli government has been receiving severe backlash over its attempt to overhaul the judicial system in place.

The bill, which seeks to amend the Basic Law, would reportedly cement government control over judicial appointments and revoke the court’s ability to review these laws. Though approved by the committee, the bills are yet to go through three readings at the Knesset before it gets to a final vote.

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Moreover, in a preliminary vote, Knesset on Wednesday approved a bill which will impose the death penalty on "terrorists" who kill Israeli people. The bill, which saw the backing of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led ruling Likud Party was approved by a vote of 55 to 9 in a preliminary reading, reported Israeli local media outlet, Times of Israel.

Among the other lawmakers who supported the bill was the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party. The bill, which is yet to become a law, says that any individual who kills an Israeli citizen because of “racist motivations” or causes hostility towards the public "to harm the State of Israel and the revival of the Jewish people” will be given a death penalty.

A European diplomat condemned the bill calling it a "game-changer that would negatively impact relations."

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Many Knesset members debated over the bill and lent their support. Speaking during the Knesset plenum, Israeli politician MK Limor Son Har Melech of the Otzma Yehudit party said that for many years an "absurd" situation has prevailed in the country where "despicable terrorists who murdered Jews" are imprisoned in an Israeli prison for a few years and are then released in a terrorist release deal or a plea bargain.

He emphasised that after the release deal, these "terrorists" walk free among general civilians as one of their own. The legislation as it gets preliminary approval from the Israeli Parliament is already surrounded by controversy.The law would not apply to an Israeli who killsa Palestinian, the reports said.

However, according to some reports, Israeli PMBenjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party might delay the controversial law. This comes at a time when tensions have lately escalated between Israel and Palestine with Israeli forces carrying out raids at multiple regions in the occupied West Bank region.

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Days ago, Israel and Palestine in a joint statement agreed to stop the authorisation of illegal settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank for six months. However, this bill might throw a spanner in the efforts to de-escalate the tensions. Israel's Attorney general is also reportedly expected to oppose the bill.

Knesset also advanced a bill which was related to grounds for declaring the country's prime minister unfit for office. In a preliminary vote, Knesset gave a green check to the bill which stipulates that the cabinet or the parliament, with a 75% majority, can declare the premier unfit for office, only in case of mental or physical inability. The bill if approved to become law will make it hard to disqualify the prime minister.

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