Supreme Court President Asher D. Grunis plans to bring the current draft of
Basic Law: Legislation to his fellow justices for discussion, he told Knesset
Speaker Rivlin in a meeting on Sunday.
Rivlin said he would consult with
the judiciary during the legislative process for the bill, but reiterated his
stance that a basic law that would standardize the relations between the Knesset
and the courts is absolutely necessary.
Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman
publicized a memorandum including his draft of Basic Law: Legislation, which is
based on recommendations by a government-appointed public committee that he
headed before he was justice minister. The proposed basic law would
establish the authority of the Supreme Court to annul laws – and stipulates that
the Knesset can still pass a law even if the court overturned it, in an
additional reading with a majority of 65 MKs.
Rivlin presented to Grunis
alternative proposals that were submitted to the Knesset in the past 20 years,
as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
“Basic Law: Legislation
will arrange the relationship between the legislative and judicial branches, and
will anchor for the first time the Supreme Court’s authority to supervise the
laws of the Knesset,” Rivlin explained.
According to the Knesset Speaker,
if the basic law is approved, it will prevent the establishment of a
constitutional court made up of politicians, not judges.
In addition,
Rivlin said Basic Law: Legislation would prevent clashes between the courts and
the Knesset. Grunis and Rivlin plan to meet again during the Knesset’s summer
session, to discuss the bill.