MKs Smotrich and Rothman
MKs Smotrich and Rothmancourtesy

The Religious Zionist Party launched its “Law and Justice Restart” program to reform the legal system and "strengthen Israeli democracy" today at a press conference at Kfar HaMaccabiah.

The Chairman of the Religious Zionist Party MK Bezalel Smotrich and member of the committee for the selection of judges, MK Simcha Rothman, developed the plan over the last several months and presented its main points.

Among the sections in the plan are the reform and rebuilding of the attorney general's office, the splitting of the attorney general's position into three different positions, changing the method of selecting judges, the “Override Clause”, the abolition of the "unreasonableness clause" for elected officials' decisions, a French law for prime ministers and ministers, and more.

"Public trust in the justice system is at a low point that has not been seen since the establishment of the state. Unfortunately, in recent years, although there has been talk from the left and the right about the need to reform and make changes in the justice system, almost nothing has been done, and this is what we will fix and change in the next government that we will form,” MK Smotrich said at the press conference. “There is no right or left here, there is no one for Bibi or against Bibi, the program is relevant to every Israeli citizen. We all need to have a system here (in Israel) that will show justice."

"The plan will not apply to Netanyahu, and we will regulate it by law, so as not to give an excuse to the left and the media to reject the whole plan and focus the discussion only on Netanyahu. We also have an interest in the trial continuing because Netanyahu will be acquitted and, in this way, we will expose the great corruption in the legal system."

"The major goals of the program will be to press restart on the justice system, implement the necessary change to empower democratically elected officials and limit judicial activism, protect the institution of democracy and promote an overhaul of Israel’s judiciary system," the party said.

“We must fix the system for the benefit of every citizen in the State of Israel, because they deserve a justice system that works according to the law and for everyone,” MK Simcha Rothman said. “The nullification of the offense of breach of trust is not intended to protect Netanyahu. It was designed to protect Yair Lapid. Tomorrow a legal advisor could come and decide that the fact that Nasrallah knows the details of Israel's gas agreement with Lebanon before Members of the Knesset and the public in Israel is an act of breach of trust, he can open an investigation and file an indictment.”

“There is no limit to this open discretion. The program is designed to allow elected officials to do their job, without fearing that a prosecutor will come and decide to file an indictment against them for actions they took in the performance of their duties, with the retroactive application of legal norms."