High Court agrees to hear petitions against law overhauling judicial appointments

The High Court of Justice agrees to hear petitions filed against the law passed by the Knesset overhauling Israel’s judicial appointments process and greatly boosting political control over the selection of judges.

Justice Ruth Ronen orders Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the government, and all other parties to file their responses by June 4.

Six petitions were filed today against the law by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, the Israel Democracy Guard, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Yesh Atid MKs Karine Elharar and Yoav Segelovitch, the Israel Bar Association, and an independent group of citizens.

At least three of those petitions argue that the law undermines judicial independence and violates Israel’s form of democratic government, making it unconstitutional.

Ronen rules that all six petitions will be heard in one case before the court.

The court’s decision to hear the petitions will likely spark condemnation from Levin and other members of the government who assert the High Court does not have the power of judicial review over Basic Laws and amendments to them such as the new judicial appointments law.

In January last year, the High Court struck down a Basic Law — which require only a simple majority to pass — for the first time in history. The law banned the judiciary from using the reasonableness judicial standard in reviewing government actions, but the High Court ruled it violated Israel’s democratic character and was therefore unconstitutional.