In April 1 ‘gag,’ judicial overhaul architect proposes ‘memorial day for democracy’
Rothman publishes mock bill, says Ronen Bar will be ‘eternal’ Shin Bet head; Likud MK also tries ‘prank’ with talk of law to push off elections; opposition MK disses him
In an April Fools Day “joke,” Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman published to his X account a mock bill to “commemorate democracy in the State of Israel” with an “annual memorial day.”
“I am happy to announce that after hard work, we were able to place on the Knesset table one of the laws that I am most proud of,” wrote the Religious Zionism party lawmaker, one of the chief architects of the government’s judicial overhaul agenda, which critics say deeply undermines Israel’s democratic institutions.
“Immediately after the recess, I intend to present the proposal to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation and ensure that no one in the country forgets where we came from and where we are going,” he wrote. The Knesset began its April recess on Tuesday.
The text of the ersatz bill called for an annual memorial day for Israeli democracy on which citizens would mark how the country’s democratic system “ended on the day when the law was passed that changed the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee, with delayed applicability, in such a way that the opposition was given the opportunity to influence the selection of judges in Israel.”
The prank X post also said that the Knesset would hold an annual meeting to discuss the topic, to be opened by Ronen Bar, “the eternal head of the Shin Bet.”
Rothman’s X post was referring to two issues that have sparked public outcry, namely legislation to change the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee, which appoints judges, in a way that increases political power over the panel, and the government’s move to fire the head of the Shin Bet, Bar.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Bar’s firing was necessary because the government no longer has trust in the security agency chief, critics say the move was aimed at stymieing a Shin Bet probe into ties between some of Netanyahu’s top aides and Qatar, which backs the terror group Hamas.
שמח לבשר שאחרי עבודה מאומצת, הצלחנו להניח על שולחן הכנסת את אחד החוקים שאני יותר גאה בהם.
אני רוצה להודות לצוות המסור שלי ולמשפחתי שתמיד עמדה מאחוריי.
מיד אחרי הפגרה בכוונתי להעלות את ההצעה לוועדת השרים לחקיקה ולוודא שאיש במדינה לא ישכח מאין באנו ולאן אנחנו הולכים. pic.twitter.com/B97F0B6Zgo
— שמחה רוטמן – Simcha Rothman (@rothmar) April 1, 2025
Rothman’s post was reminiscent of a satirical campaign video released by the New Right party in 2019 featuring then-justice minister Ayelet Shaked hawking a perfume called “Fascism,” which made fun of critics of her own plans to reform the judiciary.
Another coalition lawmaker also chose to jest on X. Likud MK Avichay Buaron posted on X that he had submitted a bill to extend the usual government term from four to six years.
“This ensures government continuity and strengthens the rule of the majority,” he explained, referring to a key talking point of those who back the judicial overhaul as needed to rein in an overreaching court system and Netanyahu critics who accuse the veteran leader of seeking to install a de facto dictatorship.
Opposition Yesh Atid Party MK Yorai Lahav-Hertzano shot back in reply: “While you are having laughs, Bar Kuperstein is celebrating his second birthday in the Hamas tunnels in Gaza. You’re responsible for getting him out. How’s it going?”
Kuperstein, who marked his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, was among 251 people abducted from southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian terror group Hamas led thousands of attackers to invade southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
A week-long truce in November 2023 and a six-week ceasefire that started January 19 saw most of the hostages released, but the latter truce collapsed, and 59 of the hostages remain in captivity.
Mass protests have urged the government to reach another deal with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
Gil Dickman, whose cousin hostage Carmel Gat was murdered in a Gaza tunnel along with five other hostages in August 2024, also responded to both Rothman and Buaron.
“A bad and hurtful joke,” he wrote to Rothman, and “have you no shame” to Buaron.
The Times of Israel Community.