Israel Supreme Court strikes down key law in controversial judicial reform

On Monday, Israel's Supreme Court invalidated a contentious law enacted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing administration. This law aimed to curtail the Supreme Court's authority, leading to widespread protests across the nation.

The law was a component of a larger judicial reform proposed by Netanyahu and his coalition of religious and nationalist allies. This proposal caused a significant divide in Israel and raised concerns about the country's democratic principles among its Western allies. The court's decision on Monday once again made headlines in Israel, a nation where news coverage has been predominantly about war since Hamas launched a lethal attack in southern Israel on October 7.

The new legislation presented to the court eliminated one, but not all, of the mechanisms the Supreme Court has for overturning government and ministers' decisions. It stripped the court of its power to nullify decisions it deemed 'unreasonable'. Eight out of 15 justices voted in favour of nullifying the law, according to the court. Netanyahu's Likud party expressed disappointment with the decision, stating it opposed 'the will of the people for unity, especially during wartime'. However, opposition lawmakers lauded the ruling. In a summary of its decision, the Supreme Court stated that the majority of judges voted to strike down the law because it would severely harm Israel's democracy.