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Israeli Knesset passes bill allowing settlers to enter evacuated West Bank settlements

Jerusalem24 – The Israeli Knesset approved on Monday bills aiming to weaken Israel’s judicial system, in addition to another that would repeal sections of the 2005 Disengagement Law, allowing Israeli settlers to enter evacuated illegal West Bank settlements including the evacuated outpost of Homesh.

The first bill approved by the Knesset was a proposed amendment to the Basic Law on the government stipulating that a prime minister can only be declared “unfit for office” due to physical or mental inability to carry out duties, and only by the prime minister himself or by the vote of three-quarters of cabinet members, Haaretz reports.

The bill, which was approved by 61 MKs and opposed by 51, will essentially prevent the attorney general from declaring Netanyahu unfit for office.

Haaretz reported that the in the event that the prime minister objects to putting the decision to the cabinet, it would then go to the Knesset, where at least 90 lawmakers would have to approve the move.

The constitutional amendment was greenlighted by the Knesset Special Committee for Amendments to the Basic Law on the Government, chaired by Netanyahu’s party fellow Ofir Katz.

The second bill the Knesset approved would enable the parliament to override a High Court ruling with a simple majority while requiring a supermajority for the judiciary to strike down a law. The bill demands the consensus of 12 out of 15 High Court judges to strike down any legislation ruled unconstitutional.

Currently, a simple majority of High Court judges can strike down a law passed by the Knesset.

The Third bill approved by the Israeli parliament, Knesset, the override clause, allows its members to enact laws previously overruled by the court. This proposed amendment to the Basic Law on the Judiciary would also make any law passed by a slim majority (61 out of 120 lawmakers) immune to judicial review by the court, Haaretz reports.

Repealing sections of the “Disengagement Law”

The fourth approved bill allows the repealing of certain sections of the 2005 Disengagement Law, which will allow settlers to enter the illegal West Bank settlements evacuated in August 2005 in the framework of Israel leaving Gaza.

The four West Bank illegal settlements evacuated were Homesh, Sanur, Ghanim, and Kadim.

Nadeen Alshaer

Alshaer is a Palestinian journalist, a Birzeit University graduate with a B.A. in TV and Radio Broadcasting Journalism. Alshaer has 6 years of experience in journalism. She currently works as a reporter, editor and presenter/producer for PBC-Palestine TV and Jerusalem24 radio. She’s a UN and Kelley School of Business alumna.

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