Report: Netanyahu demanded exclusion of recusal law from potential overhaul freeze

As part of the now-rejected compromise plan by the President’s Residence regarding the judicial overhaul, Channel 13 news reports that one of the bones of contention was a demand by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep the so-called recusal law in effect under any circumstances.

The compromise, as reported, aimed to freeze all further judicial overhaul legislation in return for granting the coalition more power on the Judicial Selection Committee in the form of veto power on the selection of the Supreme Court president and lower court judges.

But today’s report says Netanyahu was adamant that any freeze still allow a potential “override clause” to be legislated with a regular majority, in the event that the High Court of Justice nullifies the government’s law shielding the premier from being ordered by courts or the attorney general to step down. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for later this month.

The network says Netanyahu associates are convinced that given the opportunity, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara will order Netanyahu to recuse himself over violations of the conflict of interest agreement he signed to prevent him from dealing with matters that could affect his own ongoing corruption trial down the line — which parts of the overhaul could do.

The report doesn’t say what the opposition’s reaction was to this demand.