Political situation in Israel

Israeli police carry away protesters against the judicial reform July 24, 2023. Ohad Zwigenberg / AP

Political situation in Israel  

Analysis: Everyone is a loser in the battle for legal reform  

The division and mass demonstrations in Israel are not about the legal reform, the first part of which was voted through on Monday - but about trust. That is what Haviv Rettig Gur writes in his analysis in the Times of Israel. 

"No victory is possible without the political center, which is still waiting for signs of confidence and moderation that neither side is showing."  

Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man writes in +972 Magazine about what he believes to be the real purpose of the legal reform: to annex the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. He refers to several previous statements by Justice Minister Yariv Levin that one of the first and most important steps to annexation is to remove the courts' ability to stop political decisions. 

It is also not mentioned by the opponents, he writes, because they "cannot define what an Israeli democracy is if it continues to rule undemocratically over millions of Palestinians". 

Without Justice Minister Levin, the government coalition falls, and he has pushed the negotiations with the opposition. That and the lack of trust from the public, the security forces and business have made the prime minister Israel's weakest ever, writes Anshel Pfeffer in Haaretz: 

"Netanyahu has become irrelevant."  

Police use water cannons against protesters outside parliament July 24, 2023. Ariel Schalit / AP  

US calls Israeli law change 'unfortunate'  

The US government considers it "unfortunate" that Israel's parliament voted yes to part of a criticized package of laws on Monday. This is stated by a spokesman for the White House for Reuters.  

The package of laws that increase politicians' power over the judiciary has been met with months-long protests. On Monday, the police used water cannons against the thousands of demonstrators. Several were arrested and injured, according to TT. 

"We believe that you need to work for consensus in order to make major democratic changes," says the White House spokesperson according to Reuters.  

Even the German government is "concerned" about the Israeli legal reform, a source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told AFP.  

Protests in Israel. Ohad Zwigenberg / AP  

Israel votes yes to controversial law - huge protests 

The Israeli parliament has voted through a criticized package of laws that increases the power of politicians over the judiciary, Reuters reports. 

The bill has been met with months-long protests around the country. Critics believe that the laws destroy the independence of the judiciary in the country and limit the influence of the Supreme Court.  

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition, in turn, claim that the laws are a response to "legal finger-pointing" in politics. 

During the day, the police used water cannons against the demonstrators who were in place before the vote in Jerusalem.