Israel is facing a “historic constitutional crisis”, President Isaac Herzog has warned as the new government prepares to introduce sweeping judicial reforms granting the cabinet more sway over the country's top court.
“We are in the grips of a profound disagreement that is tearing our nation apart. This conflict worries me deeply, as it worries many across Israel and the [Jewish] Diaspora,” Mr Herzog said in a statement on Sunday.
“I am now focused on two critical roles that I believe I bear as President at this hour: averting a historic constitutional crisis and stopping the continued rift within our nation.”
His comments came a day after tens of thousands of people protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government across Israel.
At least 70,000 took to the streets in Tel Aviv, police estimated, in a city known for its largely secular and liberal majority. Demonstrations were also held in the northern coastal city of Haifa, which is home to a large Arab minority.
Mr Netanyahu secured a sixth term in office after his party won the most seats in November elections and formed a coalition with Ultra-Orthodox and far-right groups whose members in his cabinet have threatened to radically overhaul both Israel's laws and disrupt restive peace with the Palestinians.
Earlier this month, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, prompting outrage from the international community, including Jordan, which has warned it is “prepared for conflict” if any changes are made to the status quo of the city's holy sites under its custodianship.
The new government has pledged to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, increase Orthodox influence on secular society and, under reforms proposed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, restrict the power of the Supreme Court.
Under the proposed reforms, the top court would have no power to nullify amendments made by the Knesset to Israel's “basic laws” which act in place of a constitution.
Mr Netanyahu will also reorder judge selection panels to give his cabinet more sway over appointments to the court, while also raising the threshold to vote down other laws passed by parliament.
The proposals have been blasted by former prime minister Yair Lapid as “radical regime change” while the head of the Supreme Court court said such rules would “crush” the justice system.
“We will complete the reform legislation that will fix what needs fixing, will fully protect individual rights and will restore the public's trust in the justice system,” Mr Netanyahu said in a cabinet briefing on Sunday.
Mr Lapid, leader of the opposition, called for a referendum on the matter, saying: “It would be reasonable to go and consult with the people before deciding to turn democratic Israel into non-democratic, no?”
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
Zodi%20%26%20Tehu%3A%20Princes%20Of%20The%20Desert
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEric%20Barbier%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYoussef%20Hajdi%2C%20Nadia%20Benzakour%2C%20Yasser%20Drief%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
