'They have left us no choice': Yariv Levin calls for return of contentious judicial reform

Opposition lawmakers criticized Levin's decision to return the divisive legislation to the table.

By MAYA GUR ARIEH DECEMBER 14, 2024 22:40 Updated: DECEMBER 14, 2024 23:20

Justice Minister Yariv Levin seen in the Knesset plenum, in Jerusalem, December 4, 2024 (photo credit: FLASH90/CHAIM GOLDBERG)

Justice Minister Yariv Levin has signaled his intention to resume the judicial reform in a post to Facebook on Saturday evening.

Levin wrote, "With the outbreak of the war, the coalition immediately announced the suspension of all discussions of judicial reform. At the time, I believed it was inappropriate to address controversial issues while the country was at war on multiple fronts."

Levin criticized the High Court of Justice, claiming that they "seized the Knesset's powers" and "exploited this to continue its takeover of the Knesset and government powers."

"They have left us no choice. This cannot continue. We, too, have rights," Levin concluded. 

Opposition criticizes Levin's post

Opposition lawmakers criticized Levin's decision to return the divisive legislation to the table.

Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid responded in a post to X/Twitter, writing, "Yariv Levin has offered nothing but destruction and ruin. True to form, he engages in criminal extortion and threats to appoint people to the High Court who aim to dismantle Israeli democracy from within."

יריב לוין לא הציע שום דבר מלבד הרס וחורבן. כדרכו הוא עוסק בסחיטה קרימינלית באיומים כדי להכניס לבית המשפט העליון את האנשים שרוצים לרסק מבפנים את הדמוקרטיה הישראלית. האופוזיציה ניצחה כחוק בהצבעה החשאית בכנסת והשיגה רוב בוועדה לבחירת שופטים מפני שאפילו חבריו לקואליציה של לוין…

— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) December 14, 2024

Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats, wrote, "Yariv Levin has returned to routine: the war is over, the hostages have been released, the wounded have recovered, the economy is thriving - or rather, not."

"While the country continues to bleed, Levin returns to the dream of a coup d’état – a campaign of revenge and destruction against the judicial system. You have no trust from the public, you have no legal right, and you have no political majority. And if you try – we will be there. In the Knesset, in the courtroom, and on the street. We have a country to save. And we will not give up," Golan wrote. 

Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported that the head of Israel's Bar Association, Attorney Amit Becher, responded to Levin's comments, stating, "Levin is lying to the public. He has never sought to calm tensions or pursue agreements."

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"All he ever wanted was to appoint loyalists to the High Court and obstruct the process of selecting a president. The Bar Association representatives will continue to act in the committee to ensure the election of the High Court president despite Levin’s unlawful refusal." 

Becher concluded, "If Levin follows through on his threats to reintroduce legislation to change the composition of the committee, we will fight him on this as well, using both legal and public tools. We have no other country, and we will not lose it."