Democracy in Israel: Justice Reform or Revolution?

Justice reform or revolution in Israel? Is there a point when majority rule becomes undemocratic? Vivian Bercovici on the critical debate.

I. THE CASE OF ARYEH MACHLOUF DERI

Last Thursday, an extraordinary case was heard by a panel of eleven judges of the Israeli Supreme Court in a six-hour sitting.

The session was convened urgently to consider a law passed in recent weeks by the newly sworn in Knesset, as a plenum. Among the changes was what is known colloquially in Israel as the “Deri Law”…