MK Zehava Galon
MK Zehava GalonFlash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sat down with Meretz chairwoman Zehava Galon on Monday evening as part of a routine meeting before the establishment of his new government. 

During the meeting, Netanyahu informed Galon that he intended to promote the Supersession Clause bill proposed by MK Ayelet Shaked in the previous Knesset, and demanded by her Jewish Home party as condition of it joining a coalition

This clause would enable the Knesset to override a High Court decision to strike down a law it had legislated, if the court had determined that the law contradicted the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty.

For a law to be re-legislated in this way, it would require a majority of at least 61 MKs and would only be in force for the next four years.

According to Galon, this move is another in a series of laws and regulations designed to deplete the High Court of its powers and allow the Knesset to ignore its rulings, "even at the expense of violating basic human rights."

While, she herself admitted she did not always agree with the High Court's rulings, Galon stressed that the High Court "remains the last gatekeeper, not only of the rule of law, but also of the protection of the moral stature of the country."

"I told Netanyahu at the beginning of the meeting that I hope in spite of our ideological differences, we will be able to agree there is great importance in maintaining the High Court and its powers," Galon relayed to constituents on Facebook. 

"Without significant judicial authority, democracy cannot exist. There is no one to protect it from the tyranny of the majority; there is no one to protect it from itself," the Meretz chairwoman added. 

"Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is acting like a lackey of the extreme Right," Galon charged, "and proves that he is ready to crush the High Court and undermine democracy in Israel for political interests." 

"I told him, and I say to you: We are going to fight this decree to the end, and use any means not to let it pass. A slippery slope is the surest way to end democracy in Israel, and we will not let the government plunge us there."