100 law professionals sign letter to justice minister backing his judicial reform

Some 100 law professionals sign a letter to Justice Minister Yariv Levin backing his plans for a major reform of the country’s judicial system.

The signatories call his plan to severely limit judicial oversight of the government “important steps to fixing Israel’s legal system.”

They say the justice system has “for years taken upon itself authorities that do not belong to it… which undo the balance of the three branches of government.”

They argue the planned reform to end the High Court’s veto on legislation and give politicians full control of judicial appointments “will bring back the balance between the branches and return the judicial branch to its natural place.”

The letter appears to be a response to appeals against the plan by various officials, including by dozens of retired judges who warned it would endanger Israel’s democracy, threaten internal damage, and could damage Israel’s moral standing in the eyes of the world,