Israel ‘on verge of collapse’ says former Mossad chief

Reiterating their preconditions for negotiations, they said in a joint statement: “As long as there is no halt of the legislation, it’s a deception.”

Ahead of the bill’s first reading, as many as 500,000 protesters took to the streets across Israel for the tenth consecutive weekend in what organisers claimed was the largest demonstration in the country’s history.

About 20 per cent of all Israelis have so far participated in the street demonstrations.

Proponents of the reforms argue that the changes are necessary to restore balance and rein in an unaccountable and overzealous judiciary.

The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) produced a detailed proposal to entrench the “rules of the game” ahead of the 75th anniversary so that elected governments cannot use “temporary political majorities to overhaul Israel’s constitutional foundations”.

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Merav Michaeli

According to the IDI, a “sensible public discussion on fundamental principles is imperative if we are to bequeath to future generations a stable Jewish and democratic state. Strong national solidarity around agreed constitutional principles is essential for confronting the immense challenges facing Israel in the foreseeable future.”

The IDI’s proposals, shared with the JC, consist of three basic principles:

The creation of a bill of rights so that the rights Israelis enjoy such as equality before the law and freedom of religion can be enshrined in constitutional protection based upon the principles of Israel’s Declaration of Independence.

Clear rules for passing and amending constitutional legislation must be established and the role of the courts defined in law so that the judiciary can retain its status as an independent branch of government.

All three branches of government to be reformed to address the balance of power. Proposed changes include the creation of an Appeals Court and the strengthening of the Knesset’s capacity for oversight over the executive branch.