Binyamin Netanyahu rushes to take on Israel’s Supreme Court

BINYAMIN NETANYAHU’S latest government has lost no time getting to work. Much attention has been paid to the in his coalition, which have won control of big ministries. But the appointment of Yariv Levin, a member of Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party, as justice minister may have the most profound effect on Israeli democracy.Mr Levin is determined to curb the powers of the country’s robustly independent Supreme Court. The new minister wants to introduce an “override clause” which would allow a simple majority in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, to pass laws deemed unconstitutional by the court. Under his plans the court would no longer be able to nullify government decisions on the ground of “reasonableness”. Politicians would appoint judges. The government’s legal advisers, currently an independent group, would be replaced with political appointees. A ruling by the Supreme Court on January 18th, blocking the appointment of one of the new government’s senior ministers because of his conviction for tax fraud, has exacerbated matters.