By Christine Darg, Jerusalem Channel

[Photo source: Alex Kolomoisky’s Facebook]

Internal turmoil in Israel is similar to what is happening in the USA. Since January, protests have escalated across Israel in response to the Netanyahu coalition government’s reform proposals. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of being a “dictator” as a slur tactic but his government is calling for  judicial reform of activist judges who have behaved like oligarchs, overruling elected officials.

The bill, which was passed by a vote of 64 to 56, limits the Supreme Court’s use of the nebulous “reasonableness standard” to block legislation. In fact, the bill bars “reasonableness” as a justification for judges to reverse decisions made by the Cabinet, ministers and other elected officials as set by law.

At a large  rally in Tel Aviv earlier this week, signs read, “The nation is with you! Complete the legislation!”

Pro-reform activists traveled in chartered buses from more than 100 locations throughout the country. Signs read, “The people voted [for] judicial reform [in November’s national election],” and “Dictatorship of the High Court.”

A previous large-scale protest on April 27 in support of judicial reform took place near the Knesset and was attended by some 600,000 Israelis.

Now, after 29 weeks of anti-reform protests, conservative activists once again hope to recapture the narrative.

According to the Jewish Chronicle, Justice Minister Yari Levin argued that the reform is “long overdue”.  Levin also has argued that the reform would “restore the decision-making capability of the elected government,” and return power to elected branches of governance (the legislative and executive).

Former Supreme Court justice Moshe Landau has also supported the reforms. He argued that the reasonableness principle allows elected officials to be subverted by appointed judges – an undemocratic process. The formulation of the principle is subjective, which allows an activist court to set the terms of governance.

Those on the political left have opposed the bill. As one commentator observed, “The minority left, which lost the national democratic vote, yet are overrepresented in the media and judiciary, failed to stop the vote by means of very public tantrums, illegal violence, skewed public opinion polls, demagoguery of extraordinary proportions, and international pressure. The result is that the unelected judiciary can no longer overthrow democratic laws based on no other argument except that they find it ‘unreasonable.'”

The following are from today’s Friday Prayer Points (these specifically concerning Government & society) published by Intercessors for Israel:

Last Monday the coalition passed the first part of the judicial reform package. This limits the Supreme Court’s use of rejecting certain government decisions based on its being “unreasonable” to these unelected, and for the most part left-wing, judges. The response from the anti-reform crowd was so over the top that it seems their real goal was the dissolution of Israel’s current democratically elected government and the final removal from office of PM Bibi Netanyahu.

    • Thank You for this step in restoring balance between the judiciary and the legislature (Prov. 14:34).
    • Use it to bring Your prophetic word in Isaiah 1:25-27 that much closer to fulfillment.
    • We rejoice that You heard our prayers and the coalition did not surrender to the mob violence and anarchy in Israel’s streets – and we give You all the glory for this (Psa. 50:15).
    • Impart to the coalition members and their aides the wisdom of the men of Issachar (1 Chr. 12:32).
    • Protect each one of them both physically and spiritually (Psa. 121:3-4).
    • Lord God, help Israel’s coalition members to move in unity and to accomplish all that is Your will for Israel today – and to not be deceived or distracted by that which is not of You (Prov. 19:21).
    • Continue to use Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister until he completes all that You have ordained for him to do – and please by Your grace, save him and his whole family (Psa. 75:5-7; Eph. 2:10).
    • God, we ask You to rebuke all spiritual entities who are trying to divide and destroy Your nation today (Psa. 17:13; 119:118-119; Isa. 59:19b; Zech. 3:2).
    • Warn those who are organizing this current rebellion against Your ordained leaders (Prov. 8:16) that they are doing the things that You said You hate (Prov. 6:16-19).
    • Help the police to know how to quickly deal with all illegal and/or dangerous actions of the anti-government ant-Bibi demonstrators, yet to deal in mercy whenever possible (Eccl. 8:11; Isa. 26:10).
    • Guard over Israel from the anti-God “suggestions,” manipulations and condemnations that regularly come against it from US President Biden and most of his administration (Num. 23:23; 24:1).
    • We thank You that the government did not give in to the pressure from many “friendly” nations and even the UN – but did pass the first part of the judicial reform (Psa. 56:11: Isa. 51:12).
    • Create in Israel an independent foreign policy which makes decisions based on what is best for Your nation – especially when hard decisions like the above need to be made (Psa. 32:8-9; Prov. 16:9).
    • Expose any other foreign influence in Israel’s internal affairs and then cut it off (Luke 12:2).