Levin to unveil sweeping court reform plan

Justice Minister Yariv Levin plans to unveil a package of judicial reforms at a press conference Wednesday night.

During the appearance, scheduled for prime-time news slot 8 p.m., Levin is expected to roll out the government’s plans to enact wide-reaching changes to the courts. Planned reforms include legislation that would allow 61 lawmakers to override the High Court should it seek to strike down a law, and new regulations replacing lawyers on the Judicial Appointments Committee with politicians, according to Hebrew media reports.

Levin will announce that the government plans to rush the changes through the Knesset all at once in a legislative blitz, Channel 12 news reports.

The timing of Levin’s announcement is seen as significant, coming just as Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara submits an opinion to the High Court rejecting the government’s appointment of Shas leader Aryeh Deri to the cabinet despite legislation passed by the coalition last week paving the convicted grafter’s way in.

The High Court is expected to hold a hearing on petitions against Deri’s appointment tomorrow, which will now occur under the shadow of a threat to hobble the court’s power to overrule the government, critics charge.

“The new government is putting a whip on the table and is using threats and extortion in ways that would not embarrass a criminal organization,” tweets Yisrael Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovski.