Eisenkot bloc seeks repeal of 5 Netanyahu-era laws

Bloc plans legislative reversals

Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot's bloc has drawn up plans to repeal five major laws passed under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seeking to reverse key parts of his legislative agenda before a new government takes office, local media reported Wednesday. Israel Hayom said party leaders had agreed to create special parliamentary committees to pursue the repeals simultaneously.

The Democrats party, led by Yair Golan, is expected to chair most of the panels. The initiative covers legislation that opponents say expanded political influence over independent institutions and weakened checks on government power.

Judiciary and police oversight

One committee would handle two laws concerning the judiciary and government legal oversight. One of those measures changed the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee by replacing its two Israel Bar Association representatives with legal professionals selected by the governing coalition and the opposition, a change critics said increased political influence over judicial appointments.

The other law divided the attorney general's responsibilities between a government legal adviser and a chief prosecutor. It also expanded the government's authority to appoint and dismiss its legal adviser, reject legal opinions and seek outside representation.

A separate committee would seek to reverse changes to the department investigating suspected crimes by police officers. The law removed the department from direct oversight by professional prosecutors and gave the justice minister substantial influence over the appointment of its director.

Opponents warned that the changes could politicize investigations and compromise the department's independence.

Media and prime minister law

A third panel would address the media law, which removed restrictions on cross-ownership of television channels and newspapers. The measure also ended institutional separation between newsrooms and the commercial interests of their owners.

It introduced official audience measurements to determine government advertising allocations, a mechanism critics said could favor broadcasters supportive of the government. A fourth committee would seek to repeal an amendment restricting the grounds for declaring a prime minister unfit for office to physical or mental incapacity.

Opponents argued that the amendment had been tailored to protect Netanyahu during his corruption trial. The Supreme Court postponed its application until the next Knesset instead of allowing it to take effect during the parliamentary term in which it was passed.

Coalition talks and timetable

The Knesset's legal adviser told bloc leaders that repealing the judicial measures could move relatively quickly, while reversing the media law would be more complicated, according to Israel Hayom. The bloc's initiative comes as Eisenkot negotiates a governing coalition.

President Isaac Herzog formally tasked Eisenkot with forming a government on Sunday. He was given 28 days to do so, with a possible extension of up to 14 days.