Heritage minister: We are changing the governmental structure of Israel

"We want a state where everyone is equal before the rule of law, a state where there are no privileged people," said the minister.

 Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit) is seen visiting the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, on January 29, 2023. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit) is seen visiting the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, on January 29, 2023.
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

The coalition has begun "changing the governmental structure of the State of Israel," Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu told Channel 14 on Tuesday. 

"Thank God that this government is starting to carry out the reform, albeit it's drop by drop, but at the end of the day we've started changing the governmental structure of the State of Israel, and this is important for the good of the citizens of Israel," said Eliyahu.

Government 'will not bend' to 'bullying'

Eliyahu stressed that the government would not bend to what he referred to as "bullying" by anti-reform protesters, claiming that the protesters wanted to "protect their status as the elite."

"We want a state where everyone is equal before the rule of law, a state where there are no privileged people."

 MK Simcha Rotman, Head of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee leads a committee meeting on the planned judicial reform, at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on July 4, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
MK Simcha Rotman, Head of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee leads a committee meeting on the planned judicial reform, at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on July 4, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Eliyahu added that the government was changing the police's policies as well and that the police would act more strongly against protesters who block roads.

The heritage minister's comments came as protests against the passage of the reasonableness standard bill in a first reading swept the country on Tuesday, with roads blocked across Israel.

The Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee continued efforts to prepare the bill for its final readings on Wednesday.