Israeli opposition slams Netanyahu’s plans to advance judicial overhaul in Knesset

By Burak Dag

ANKARA (AA) – The Israeli opposition on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his plans to advance his controversial judicial overhaul in the Knesset (Israel’s parliament).

Speaking after the passage of the 2023-24 state budget in the Knesset, Netanyahu said that the judicial reform plan would resume.

He told Israeli Channel 14 that the judicial overhaul bill will "definitely" be put back on the agenda.

His remarks sparked a storm of criticism from the opposition benches.

Yair Lapid, a former prime minister and leader of the Yesh Atid (There is a Future) Party, said the judicial overhaul plan, which has been criticized for "weakening the powers of the judiciary," won’t pass because "we're done being Netanyahu's suckers," Haaretz newspaper reported.

Describing the prime minister’s remarks over the resumption of the judicial plan as dangerous, Lapid called on the country’s President Isaac Herzog to seek immediate, public and clear clarifications of the statements from Netanyahu.

- Netanyahu ‘drunk with power’

Meanwhile, former Defense Minister and leader of the National Unity Party Benny Gantz said: “I want to remind Netanyahu that stupidity is repeating the same action and expecting different results.”

Netanyahu is “once again drunk with power,” Gantz said. “If the judicial coup resumes, we'll shake the country and bring it to a halt.”

Israel has been in political turmoil over the past few months over the Netanyahu government’s plan for judicial reforms, which the opposition views as a power grab in favor of the executive authority.

Netanyahu, however, insists that his plan would enhance democracy and restore the balance among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

On March 27, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, bowed to pressure and announced a temporary halt to the plans amid protests across the country.