National Union chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich criticized the conduct of the Judicial Selection Committee, which appointed 61 judges yesterday despite the absence of three committee members.
"Nissenkorn did what was expected of him in his camp. [He acted like] a forceful, predatory politician who took the opportunity to use his power without considering the consequences," Smotrich said. "We on the right have a lot to learn from this, because when we come to power we are cautious, but here the left doesn't take into account anyone else and goes over everyone's heads."
In his opinion, "[Supreme Court] President Hayut made the most serious mistake in this particular case playing in our favor, it is a reckless and temporary move, put herself in the middle of the political controversy and gave us legitimacy. If she does not count us and is able to pass 61 appointments without three-quarters of the government representatives, without dialogue, and without agreements, then when we return to power, no one should expect us to enter into dialogue with them."
"The thing that hurts me the most is that Netanyahu has been proud for 13 years that he maintains the system of the rule of law and the Supreme Court. It is not that he has tried and failed, he has boasted that he inhibits any ability to change and correct matters and it is frustrating. When he conducted the coalition negotiations I pleaded with him, give Gantz everything, everything, just not the justice portfolio. It is true that you promised him parity, but you did not promise the Justice Ministry to Gantz before he agreed to break apart from Lapid."
"What Nissenkorn did and President Hayut did to me yesterday is an act which should not be done, without consent and without compromise. At the end of these cases expose all the shame of our method of appointing judges, everything is closed in previous transactions in stark contrast to what is written in the law. There is political horse-trading here between who are good and professional appointments and who are nothing and a half. The Likud has been in power for 40 years, Netanyahu has neglected this issue. What is the difference between us? I want to do good things and understand that this is the challenge. There are much better methods, like in the US with a public hearing. "Why is what is good for the US not good for Israel?"