Judicial Reform

Israel’s Supreme Court struck down the first, and most moderate, of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms on Monday in a close 8-7 decision that risked dividing the country again in the midst of an existential war against Hamas terrorists.

President Joe Biden met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and offered a long-awaited White House visit by the year’s end.

Trident DMG, a public relations firm based in Washington, DC, with links to the Democratic Party, would not deny Wednesday that it is involved in organizing protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the U.S.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who authored a radical bill to “pack” the U.S. Supreme Court with four additional, liberal justices, has co-sponsored a resolution opposing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms.

Israel’s Supreme Court could reject the judicial reform, but suggest ways it could be changed to pass muster,

Judges on Israel’s Supreme Court claimed Tuesday that the country’s Declaration of Independence gave them authority to overturn changes to the country’s Basic Laws if they threaten “democracy.”

Thousands of opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms demonstrated Saturday evening in central Tel Aviv, ahead of a week in which Israel’s Supreme Court will hear unprecedented arguments that the sole reform that has passed thus far should be overturned.

Thousands of Israelis rallied outside the country’s Supreme Court on Thursday evening to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms, ahead of a possible looming constitutional crisis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on opposition parties Tuesday to resume talks toward a deal on judicial reform, just a week before the Supreme Court will hear arguments against the first phase of that program.

Israel’s major political parties — both government and opposition — rejected a reported potential compromise on judicial reform on Monday, but seemed to keep a door open to a future deal.

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara filed a brief Sunday at Israel’s Supreme Court against her own government, saying it should overturn a quasi-constitutional Basic Law for the first time in the country’s history.

A group of about 200 students, led by activists at the elite Gymnasia High School in Herzliya, Israel, signed a petition refusing to be drafted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) over judicial reform and the Palestinian conflict.

The Fitch Ratings agency announced Monday that Israel’s credit rating remains at A+ and the outlook for the country’s economy is “stable,” noting that the country’s judicial reforms are not likely to have a negative impact on skills or investment.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog confronted a group of protesters against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms on Wednesday and told them to seek dialogue with their opponents — whereupon they refused and told him to stop the reforms.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) admitted Tuesday that thousands of military reservists who have refused to show up for duty in protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms have hurt the ability of the county to defend itself.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his government will pass one more part of his proposed judicial reforms and then postpone the rest of the proposals, a compromise offer that was instantly rejected by the country’s opposition.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has ruled out any possibility of joining a national unity government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is allowed to remain in office, highlighting the personal nature of Lapid’s motives.

It is a sign of the immaturity of Israel’s political opposition that Lapid prefers a confrontation rather than a historic compromise on judicial reform.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, fresh from passing the first of his proposed judicial reforms, will next tackle an even more contentious proposal: democratizing the process through which judges are selected.

Global credit ratings agencies are punishing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for pushing through the first and most moderate of his judicial reforms, downgrading the country’s outlook due to high political tensions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended an olive branch to the opposition after the passage of his first judicial reform law on Monday — but his critics rejected the overture, with some talking about “civil war.”

President Joe Biden’s White House expressed regret Monday that Israel’s parliament, or Knesset, had voted to adopt a reform to the country’s powerful judiciary, over the objections of the U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu is Israel’s “biggest security threat,” according to a recent Washington Post essay slamming the “Trump-like” premier currently defying President Joe Biden in passing judicial reforms opposed by the current administration.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump have not spoken in years, but Netanyahu’s victory Monday on judicial reform shows the two still have much in common — and can help each other.

Israel’s parliament, or Knesset, passed the first of several judicial reforms proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Monday, defying protests and pressure from the White House.

U.S. President Joe Biden called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to abandon the first of his government’s judicial reform bills, which is due to be voted on by the Israeli Knesset (parliament) on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is proceeding with the first of a set of controversial judicial reforms, despite nationwide protests, warnings from the military, and pressure from the United States.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed a special joint session of Congress on Wednesday, telling lawmakers that despite vigorous debates within Israel, or occasional differences with the U.S., “we will always be family.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Monday against threats to democracy by thousands of military reservists who are refusing to show up for duty unless his government stops pursuing judicial reform.

The Israeli left is threatening mass desertions from military reserve duty in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed judicial reforms continue to advance in the legislature.

Outgoing U.S. Ambassador Tom Nides claimed in an interview Monday that Israelis wanted America to interfere in its internal politics, as he criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms.

Opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who are protesting against his government’s judicial reforms are planning to block access to Ben-Gurion Airport after blocking the seaport of Haifa on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making good on his pledge to move ahead with his judicial reforms, as talks have stalled with the opposition — though he is beginning with the least controversial changes.

Vice President Kamala Harris picked a fight with the Israeli government during remarks at a reception hosted by the Israeli embassy in Washington on Tuesday evening, criticizing proposed judicial reforms in Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the left-wing opposition for silencing the free speech of members of the government after a member of his party was prevented from speaking at Tel Aviv University.

Israeli opposition party leader Benny Gantz threatened Wednesday to “shake the country” if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempts to pass the judicial reforms his government was elected to pursue.