The Knesset plenum on Monday evening approved the first reading of the so-called “Deri 2 Law” which would pave the way for Shas chairman Aryeh Deri’s return to the role of minister, Arutz Sheva reports.
The law stipulates that the Supreme Court will not be able to hold a judicial review of ministerial appointments. It was approved by a majority of 63 Knesset members who supported the proposal against 55 who opposed it. The bill now be returned to a special Knesset committee for preparations for its second and third readings.
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu fired Deri from his roles as Interior and Health Minister in late January. The move was necessitated by the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Shas chairman may not serve as a minister in the current government following his conviction for tax offenses one year ago. The Supreme Court argued that, in Deri’s plea bargain, the Shas chairman promised the Magistrate’s Court that sentenced him that he would retire from political life and as such, his appointment as a minister in the current government cannot stand. However, former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who was in office when the agreement with Deri was signed, told Channel 12 News that the plea bargain did not include any reference to Deri being in politics.
May this be the first of many laws against the supreme court of injustice meddling into political, religious and other affairs that are none of their business.
If only. Possible but unlikely, unfortunately.
This could end up taking wind out of the balloon pushing of more important bills