Lapid: ‘Reasonableness’ bill would let government appoint ‘obedient puppets,’ ‘fire all gatekeepers’

Opposition leader Yair Lapid denounces the government for what he alleges is an effort to evade the rule of law and appoint “obedient puppets” to positions of authority, ahead of the first Knesset reading on legislation limiting the use of the judicial doctrine of reasonableness.

“This is a government that has lost all restraint. Canceling the judicial test of reasonableness in the format they have submitted to the Knesset says one thing: the law doesn’t apply to them,” alleges Lapid during a faction meeting of his Yesh Atid party.

“They can fire all the gatekeepers, from the attorney general on down, and switch them out with obedient and subservient puppets who won’t interfere with them when they corrupt the country,” he adds.

Lapid claims that the government’s bill to limit the use of reasonableness will hurt Israel’s credit rating and “harm the livelihood of every Israeli citizen, isolate us from the US and more,” adding that “it will tear apart the Jewish people even more.”

He also voices support for the resumption of judicial reform talks.

“It’s still not too late. It’s still possible to stop,” Lapid says.