Mossad chief David Barnea permitted Mossad service members to participate in demonstrations against the judicial reform, provided they meet certain conditions, Channel 12 News revealed on Friday.
According to the report, Barnea held a consultation on the issue attended by legal advisors who examined the issue and, based on the law and civil service regulations, recommended that Mossad employees, at the level of department heads and below, be permitted to participate in the protests. Senior officials in the organization will not be allowed to take part.
The Mossad stressed that the approval is subject to the personnel not being exposed. This means that they are forbidden from giving interviews as well as from taking any step that could imply their political affiliation.
The Knesset earlier this week approved, in their first reading, the first two bills related to the reform.
Two bills, which relate to the Basic Law: The Judiciary, were voted upon. The two clauses which were approved are a clause dealing with changing the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee, so that it has a majority of members of the coalition, as well as a clause that will prevent the Supreme Court from striking down Basic Laws.
The bills were approved by a majority of 63 MKs who voted in favor and 47 who voted against. They will now be returned to the Knesset Constitution Committee, which will prepare them for their second and third readings.
Several days later, the Knesset approved, in a preliminary reading, the Override Clause, which in its current form would grant the Knesset the power to veto Supreme Court rulings which overturn Knesset laws, requiring only a 61-vote majority, and the “Deri Law 2,” which would prohibit the Supreme Court from striking down ministerial appointments, potentially paving the way for former Interior Minister Aryeh Deri”s return.
(Israel National News’ North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)
