Gafni: We’ll demand override clause be passed

UTJ MK says haredi party still seeks to pass law allowing Knesset to re-enact legislation struck down by the Supreme Court.

Israel National News 18.6.23

While the Likud party is currently focused on passing smaller parts of the government’s planned judicial reforms in response to the opposition’s decision to suspend the negotiations at the President’s Residence, the haredi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party is demanding the passage of one of the most controversial parts of the reforms, the override clause.

Kan Reshet Bet reported that Knesset Finance Committee chairman MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) said in closed conversations last week that he is seeking the passage of the override clause.

“We will not give up on the override clause,” Gafni said in the midst of the crisis between the coalition and the opposition.

The override clause would allow the Knesset to re-pass legislation struck down by the Supreme Court. The issue is considered important for the haredi parties after the Supreme Court struck down multiple versions of the Draft Law which had allowed haredi men to defer their military service by studying in yeshivas.

Related articles:<
>

• Haredi minister: Netanyahu can’t do it? Then he should go home
• ‘Override Clause isn’t going to happen’ says Kohelet Forum
• MK Rothman to introduce watered-down version of reform
• Conservative, pro-reform thinktank calls for compromise

<
>
In its most extreme version, the override clause would allow the Knesset to overrule the Supreme Court with a simple majority of 61 MKs. Other versions would require a large majority or even a supermajority.

Passage of the override clause would provoke a strong reaction from the opposition and anti-government protestors, who would use the law as proof that the current government seeks to strip the Supreme Cout of all of its power.