The Religious Zionist Party launched a new judicial reform plan on Tuesday and promised to advance it as a member of the next government.
The party, which is led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, published an AI-generated campaign video, depicting the arrests of Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, Supreme Court Justice Daphne Barak-Erez, and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The video shows Amit, Barak-Erez, and Baharav-Miara being dragged away by security personnel against the background of a protest resembling those that took place in 2023.
The video begins with Amit carrying a sign that says: “No Smotrich!!!” Later, Baharav-Miara is shown holding the same sign.
Fire, Israeli flags, and signs reading “democracy” can also be seen in the background of the campaign ad.
What is RZP's proposed judicial reform?
At the beginning of the government’s term in 2023, the Religious Zionist Party promoted a polarizing judicial reform agenda amid an ongoing rift with the judiciary, which led to large widespread demonstrations.
Although the reform was not passed during the government’s term, a controversial bill that seeks to significantly weaken the attorney-general’s power to influence and have oversight over the government was passed by the Knesset in July.
A key provision that was removed from the bill was a measure to split the duties and powers currently held by the attorney-general between two separate officeholders: an attorney-general and a prosecutor-general.
A central plank of the Religious Zionist Party’s judicial reform plan would be to work toward splitting the duties of the attorney-general, thereby weakening the position.
Other aspects of its reform plan include changing the method for selecting judges and removing the Police Internal Investigations Department from the State Attorney’s Office.
The plan also proposes “abolishing appointment committees” and expanding the authority of the government and cabinet ministers to directly appoint senior officials.
The country was at a “fateful crossroads,” Smotrich said at the launch.
“During the next term, 10 Supreme Court justices, an attorney-general, and a state attorney will be appointed, along with a series of other key positions,” he said. “These appointments will shape the State of Israel for years to come. Therefore, upon the establishment of the next government, we will demand the implementation of a plan that will change the rules of the game.”
Tensions regarding the judicial reform come amid the government’s ongoing rift with the judiciary and Baharav-Miara.
Israeli politicians condemn RZP's campaign video
Prime ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot, who has been a leading contender in the opposition bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the October election, condemned the video and sharply criticized it for targeting the judicial system.
“I strongly condemn the disgraceful and violent video posted by draft-dodger and draft-refusal supporter Bezalel Smotrich, who claims to represent the sons and daughters of Religious Zionism, but in practice tarnishes and harms the name of an entire sector,” he said. “And all this during the 10 Days of Repentance, on the eve of Yom Kippur. They have learned nothing from [the] October 7 [massacre].”
“In their political distress, they are willing to drag Israeli society into an abyss – again,” Eisenkot said. “We will not let them. For the sake of Israel and its future, we will send them home soon.”
The Democrats chairman Yair Golan said the video was “dangerous incitement and a call to shed blood.”
“Those who mark Supreme Court justices and the attorney-general as enemies and portray them being dragged through the streets know exactly what they are doing,” he said. “These are the same people who spent four years tearing Israeli society apart from within. Smotrich, the architect of the ‘Hamas is an asset’ doctrine, was a full partner in the government that brought Israel the greatest disaster in its history.”
Golan said his party would “put an end to this” after the election, replace the current government, “repair the damage, and “bring responsible, strong, and democratic leadership back to Israel.”
Smotrich has previously expressed his commitment to remain in Netanyahu’s bloc if he is part of the next government.