Habayit Hayehudi seeks to curtail High Court's power - Israel Hayom Staff

by Israel Hayom Staff

As part of coalition negotiations, Habayit Hayehudi demands promotion of bill restricting High Court's ability to strike down legislative proposals that contradict Basic Laws • Attempt to pass similar bill during previous Knesset's term failed.

 

Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett | Photo credit: Yossi Zeliger

Likud and Habayit Hayehudi representatives met Monday in an effort to advance the coalition negotiations between the parties. 

Habayit Hayehudi presented various legislative demands, including one to place strict limitations on the High Court of Justice's ability to disqualify laws that may infringe on Basic Laws. 

Israel's Basic Laws seek to regulate key issues pertaining to the formation and role of principal state institutions, the relations between various state authorities, and the decision-making process of the governing bodies.

Habayit Hayehudi said it would like to introduce an exception clause to Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, most likely to counter the High Court's decision of last year to disqualify the so-called "infiltrators bill," seeking to put in place various measures against illegal migrants. The court said the controversial bill infringed on rights guaranteed in the Basic Law. 

Under Israeli law, Basic Laws may include an exception clause allowing the Knesset to pass regular laws that essentially contradict sections in the benchmark legislation. Laws passed under the exception clause require a majority vote of at least 61 MKs, and can only be in effect for a limited period of time, usually no longer than four years. 

Habayit Hayehudi MK Ayelet Shaked introduced a bill seeking to circumvent the High Court's jurisdiction in such matters in September, and while the proposal was backed by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, then-Justice Minister Tzipi Livni contested the bill, which was eventually shelved.

As part of the coalition negotiations, Habayit Hayehudi also demanded to have a representative on the Judicial Appointments Committee, and said it would like to continue promoting a bill introduced by Shaked and Likud MK Yariv Levin during the previous Knesset, seeking to reform the makeup and work of the judicial nominations and appointments committees. 

Meanwhile, the ultra-Orthodox parties have presented several new demands, which Likud sources said pertained to child subsidies, revoking criminal measures against draft dodgers, and amendments to the conversion bill.

Likud negotiators were scheduled to meet with Yisrael Beytenu representatives later on Tuesday to discuss the party's demands.

Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=24669

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