Knesset Protesters July 24, 2023
On July 24,2023 at 15:45 Israel time the Knesset vote on the “Reasonableness Bill” passed the second and third readings today and became part of the Basic Laws of the state. Boos and loud horns were heard when the names of pro-reformist Knesset members were read asking for their vote, for or against. The opposition took a strategic decision and decided to abstain, so the final vote was 64 to 0.
According to a retired professor who had been at every demonstration since they began seven months ago, “This was a dark day for Israel.” She was accompanied by her fiftyish son, also a professor. She said she didn’t know where the country was headed. Both were wearing red protest t-shirts.
Eitan Ben Eliyahu, a former Israel Air Force chief, said on Israel TV’s channel 13 that the issue of the reserve pilots not serving was very serious. “Where we could go to war with 200 airplanes now we’re down to 60.”
Another panelist, a reserve Lt. Colonel Roi Konkol said, when questioned, if the army reservist would show up in a time of war, and he said, “Probably not. And that is very serious.” No compromise was reached leading up to the vote, which surprised Konkol and many of the demonstrators. Even the Lt. General (reserves) thought a last minute compromise would be reached.
Opposition Leader Benny Gantz
Opposition leader Benny Gantz went on TV following the vote and said, “Netanyahu had a choice, the well-being of the country or politics, and he chose politics.”
Raviv Drucker, political analyst on Channel 13, said that Netanyahu had a choice, either chose to make a compromise or the government would fall. Drucker said that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told Netanyahu that he would quit the coalition and the government would fall if there was any compromise on the Reasonableness Bill.
Justice Minister Yariv Levine said he would also quit the government. So, according to analysts, Netanyahu was left with a choice, either compromise for the good of the country, or give in to Ben-Gvir and Levine and keep his government in tact. “He chose Ben-Gvir and Levine.”
Netanyahu, who had just been released from the hospital that morning after having a Pacemaker installed, seemed quiet, subdued, sitting between Justice Minister Levine and Defense Minister Galant as the two argued over a compromise.
Gallant was reportedly trying to convince Levine to give in a little, just a little, on anything, but Levine was obdurate. He wasn’t budging. Netanyahu kept his head down. At one point Gallant left the Knesset plenum, and Netanyahu followed him out. Gallant had said he was going to abstain from the vote, but Netanyahu convinced him otherwise.
Later, Channel 12TV news reported that Gallant had decided to vote for the bill since if he’d voted against he’d have to resign as Minister of Defense and was not willing to leave the country in the hands of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotritch, his deputy minister, a man who had never held rank nor commanded troops.
Following the vote, after the winners posed for selfies, smiling over their victory, Yariv Levine took to the podium and said this was a historic day. And promised that more, and long awaited reforms would soon be passed.
But, according to veteran political commentator Avraham Rabinovitz, speaking on Channel 13TV news, Netanyahu can now fire the Attorney General and appoint whoever he wants as judges. “This is all about his on-going trial for corruption and beach of trust. Now he can have that trial cancelled.”
Amit Segal (l) and Avraham Rabinovitz (r)
Rabinovitz also said that according to his sources, 30 to 40 percent of Netanyahu’s Likud party were against the Judicial Reforms. But they had no influence over Netanyahu, who was only interested in getting out of his trial.
Analysts also say that the 64 coalition Knesset votes do not represent the current feelings among coalition voters.
Following the vote demonstrators who had turned out at the Knesset were joined by others who had come in from all parts of the country. Organizers had thought the vote wouldn’t take place until after 17:00 but Netanyahu pushed for a quick vote so protesters were still arriving after the vote was taken.
Mounted Police At Knesset Protest
Still, disgruntled protesters took to the streets around the country yelling that “the struggle is not yet over.” Two groups have turned to the High Court to invalidate the Reasonableness Bill however legal experts think that the court will not get involved in the issue. One reason is that the judicial system has a conflict of interest. Even so, protesters swarmed the area around the High Court building blowing horns and crying “democratiza.”
Police used mounted police in riot gear and water canons to break up demonstrations. Protesters were still at the Knesset and on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv and other places around the country well into the night.
What happens next? The Knesset takes a summer recess at the end of the week for a two month break. Justice Minister Levine promises that in October the rest of the Judicial Reform bills he wants passed will be put up for vote and passed.
Desperation was on the faces of many of the protesters. The retired professor said she didn’t blame anyone from wanting to leave the country under the present regime.
A report in the media stated that 70% of Israel’s hi-tech companies, the heart of the Start-Up Nation, have already moved their monies out of Israel. The Israeli stock exchange dropped 2% following the vote.
There were cries in the Knesset following the vote that this was a “Churban,” a destruction, harkening to the historical demise of Jerusalem’s first and second temples. The 9th of Av, the memorial of the destruction of Jerusalem twice before, was used as an example of what the present government was doing to the country.
One tall middle-aged well-dressed man in a clean yellow shirt and dark slacks, was waiting for the light-rail in Jerusalem, not far from the Knesset and the protesters. He asked innocently what the protests were about. When told it was about Netanyahu taking control of the High Court and essentially becoming a dictator, he said, “Oh, really.” Then he added, “Don’t worry. In a year or two the government will fall. And the next one will put everything back in order.”
Time will tell.