Knesset constitution committee poised to approve final stages of judicial overhaul

The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee is poised to approve the first stage of the government’s judicial overhaul program for its final votes in the Knesset plenum in the coming days.

Amid mass demonstrations around the country, including outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, the Constitution Committee completes the voting on objections to the legislation which would give the coalition an automatic majority on the Judicial Selection Committee and thereby almost complete control over all judicial appointments in Israel.

The committee accepts one reservation to the bill that was introduced by Likud MKs Ariel Kallner and Moshe Saada canceling a clause requiring ministers and MKs on the Judicial Selection Committee to come from different parties.

Constitution Committee Chairman MK Simcha Rothman who has rammed the legislation through his committee originally hailed this clause for diversifying power on the Judicial Selection Committee.

The Constitution Committee now awaits a determination from the Knesset House Committee regarding a procedural request from opposition MK Oded Forer that the bill return to the Constitution Committee for further debate, owing to the changes made through Kallner and Saada’s reservation.

Rothman announces at 11:10 p.m. that the committee will hold the final votes to approve the bill for its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum after a ruling by the House Committee.

But at 11:50 p.m., a spokesperson for the Constitution Committee announces the votes will not be held Sunday night, and that the committee will re-convene after further notice.