By Arab Desk
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said Karen Elharrar of the centrist Yesh Atid party won one of two committee seats, but Tali Gottlieb of Netanyahu’s Likud party lost, paving the way for another vote on the second siege in 30 days.
The vote is seen as an indication of the outcome of talks between Netanyahu and the opposition over judicial changes and a test of his leadership of a far-right coalition that holds 64 of the 120 Knesset seats.
Talks aimed at reaching a compromise began shortly after Netanyahu in March suspended the government’s controversial campaign to overhaul the justice system, sparking an unprecedented outcry with critics calling the changes a threat to Israeli democracy.
But after the vote results were announced, opposition leaders said talks were stalled until the nine-member panel, which also includes two ministers, three judges and two lawyers, was completed. .
“No committee, no talks,” Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid said in a televised statement.
The furor over the amendments in recent weeks has died down slightly as the talks progress, and Netanyahu’s coalition was widely expected to stick to Knesset traditions and support the inclusion of Knesset members. an opposition member alongside a coalition MP on the committee.
But after last-minute deliberations, the coalition said it would not back any candidate, which it aims to delay. Netanyahu called on the opposition to continue the talks.
Western allies, including Washington, have urged Netanyahu to seek broad consensus on changes to the justice system, saying he must remain independent. And the stakes are rising with the retirement of two Supreme Court justices in the coming months.
Defenders of the proposed amendments, which give the government near-total control over judicial appointments, say the Supreme Court is elitist, left-wing and over-the-top, and that elected officials should have more power in choosing the bench.
Opponents say it could politicize and weaken a powerful Supreme Court that plays a key role in protecting democratic checks and balances in Israel.
The amendment campaign alienated investors and the shekel fell before Netanyahu suspended them in late March. . But economists and international credit rating agencies say continued uncertainty would pose a risk to Israel’s rating.
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Source: Knesset delivers sudden blow to Netanyahu, amid political battle over judiciary
