MK Gilad Kariv of the Democrats party stated on Wednesday that his party, along with the political bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, intends to move quickly to repeal several significant judicial overhaul laws. The coalition partners aim to complete these legislative changes even before a new government is officially formed, capitalizing on the current political window to restore previous legal structures.
Kariv expressed confidence that the repeal process can be completed within the short timeframe available for coalition-building. He noted that the legal complexities and problems that arose during the passage of the controversial legislation by the previous government will actually facilitate the task of undoing those measures. The primary focus of this effort will be on three specific areas: the law increasing political influence over the Judicial Selection Committee, the law allowing the government to ignore the attorney general’s legal position, and the legislation that radically changed broadcast media regulation.
According to reports from multiple Hebrew media outlets, the Eisenkot-led bloc has reached an agreement in principle to establish four special Knesset committees. Each of these committees would be responsible for passing one piece of legislation to repeal the target laws. In addition to the three previously mentioned, the fourth target is the law that removed the Department for Internal Police Investigations from the authority of the State Attorney’s Office. Under the previous administration, the Knesset passed a series of measures designed to reduce judicial power and limit legal restraints on the legislature.
Kariv explained that the process is relatively simple because the bloc is not seeking to create a new legal regime but rather to return to the existing system. He acknowledged that right-wing parties would likely offer opposition in committee, but he described the debates as uncomplicated. He further asserted that because major legal issues were raised by committee advisers and the attorney general during the original legislative process, the repeal will be even simpler.
The High Court of Justice has already taken action against some of these measures, freezing the implementation of the DIPI law and key aspects of the media law. The court was also highly critical of the judicial appointments reform law during a recent hearing on petitions against the measure. Kariv stated that the law changing the Judicial Selection Committee is not constitutional and can therefore be repealed, though the special committee will still seek proper legal input from the attorney general and other experts.
On Wednesday, the Eisenkot-led bloc successfully established the Knesset Arrangements Committee, a body that controls Knesset activity prior to the formation of a new government. Roy Folkman, an MK from Eisenkot’s Yashar party, was selected to chair this committee. The bloc, together with Arab-led parties, holds a majority on the Arrangements Committee, which will now have the authority to establish the necessary special committees for the repeal legislation.
These special committees will also hold a majority of MKs from Eisenkot’s bloc and the Arab parties. To pass the bills within the potentially narrow window before a new election is called, the committees will need to secure an exemption from the Arrangements Committee. This exemption would waive the usual 45-day waiting period between submitting legislation to the Knesset and holding a preliminary vote in the plenum.
The legislation under consideration will be structured as private members’ bills. This means they must first receive approval from a majority of the 120 MKs in the plenum. Once a preliminary reading is approved, the bills will be sent to their respective special committees for preparation for their first readings. After further preparation, they will be brought for their final second and third readings, which will occur back-to-back to pass into law.
