Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told The Wall Street Journal that he “threw out” the Override Clause, a crucial part of the judicial reform plan that would allow the Knesset to overturn Supreme Court rulings

In a comprehensive interview published on Thursday, Netanyahu added that he would be advancing only the bills that he believes are supported by the majority of the people. “I’m attentive to the public pulse and to what I think will pass muster,” Netanyahu said.

Legislation regarding changing the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee will be advanced but not in the “current structure.”

The report caused an uproar among Netanyahu’s partners in the coalition who are furious about the concessions to the rioters who took to the streets and spread lies about the reform. One senior coalition member told Channel 12 News that Netanyahu “simply surrendered the most important parts of the reform to the left.”

The UTJ MKs are especially furious as passing the Override Clause was one of the conditions the party set during coalition agreements. The clause is an important one for the Chareidi sector as the Supreme Court often approves anti-religious rulings and strikes down Chareidi Draft Law agreements. UTJ leader Moshe Gafni said recently that “without the Override Clause, the government has no right to exist.”

Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush is livid following the report, saying that he warned Netanyahu about “this unacceptable idea” two weeks ago.

Porush said: “Two weeks ago, in a meeting with the prime minister and Ministers Levin, Amsalem, and the Cabinet Secretary, I warned against this unacceptable idea and I demanded in the name of UTJ that the amendment to the Draft Law include the implementation of the three signed commitments: the Basic Law of Torah Study, the Override Clause and the amendment of the Defense Security Law. Any other agreement is unacceptable to us.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a statement saying: “This is a surrender to the Ayalon burners [rioters who set fires on the Ayalon highway in Tel Aviv] and those calling for civil unrest. It’s a victory for violence and a loss for Israel.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)