56 Int’l Economists Warn Netanyahu: Legal Overhaul to Hurt “Israel”

By Staff, Agencies 

Over 50 leading international economists at US universities penned an open letter to the “Israeli” entity’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warning him that his government’s efforts to significantly weaken the judiciary would be “detrimental” to prospects for economic growth.

“A strong and independent judiciary is a critical part of a system of checks and balances. Undermining it would be detrimental not only to ‘democracy’ but also to economic prosperity and growth,” read the letter, which was signed by 56 current and former professors at leading American universities.

As presented by the entity’s “Justice” Minister Yariv Levin, the coalition’s proposals would severely restrict the High Court’s capacity to strike down laws and government decisions, with an “override clause” enabling the Knesset to re-legislate struck-down laws with a bare majority of 61. 

It would also give the government complete control over the selection of judges, prevent the court from using a test of “reasonableness” to judge legislation and government decisions, and allow ministers to appoint their own legal advisers.