A true democracy is a government for the people and by the people. The Israeli public choose the present government by a democratic vote. raelUnfortunately Is iruled by a self appointed click of self appointed judges with dictatorial powers. I hope this iniative passes because Ithink most people in Israel are fed up. Oh well if it fails there is always facebook.

I've been saying this for years - in fact, since I came to Israel. Boy, is this long overdue. Now, we get to the root of so many peculiarities of the Israeli judicial system, this bizarre idea of ''judicial activism'' & usurpation of authority by the courts. An objective observer could have come to the conclusion that Israel was somewhat suicidal if he only looked at the court's decisions. This should restore some balance (as well as some sanity & common sense) to our country as a whole. I'm waiting, of course, for the howls from the Left - this is an assault on their Holy of Holies in the Leftist Temple, the High Priest of Leftism chosen by the lowly infidel serfs.

50% of Israelis Jews are of Arab descent. Another 17% are Russian immigrants. You have the religious who make up a large percentage of Israelis. The Supreme Court needs to reflect that diversity.

The SC, in it's current zero-accountability form, is the biggest impediment to the democratic process in Israel. Rest assured the judges/dictators of the SC will kick up a stink that the elected representatives of the people could have the audacity to question the supreme authority of their self appointed club of buddies.

The Supreme court should be evenly matched between LEFT & RIGHT!

This is silly. Of course judges shouldn't select judges - this way the people are completely excluded. But a justice committee is a blunt tool. Judges should be voted in by the population of those who served in the army. Of course, one shouldn't do an election cycle every 4-6 years - this would only lead to a party representation. Instead, every year a new judge should be voted in, and every year a judge who served for 9 years should be retired. Unless the old judge is the one reelected. This way, one would have a caucus of judges all elected in different years.

But in US it is exactly what it is proposed in the new bill !!!

Oh my G-d ... I'm going to cry :) finally the Knesset is making some sound and pro-israel decisions. This is very much overdue .... I hope it goes the full mile and gets implemented.

How Israel even managed to maintain her sanity with these leftists at the helm of the apex judicial body is beyond me. At long last some sanity will be injected into the system. All for the best. I say : Mazel Tov .......

The US Constitution requires the president to submit nominations to the Senate for its advice and consent. Since the Supreme Court was established in 1789, presidents have submitted 160 nominations for the Court, including those for chief justice. Of this total, 124 were confirmed (7 declined to serve). Source: http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/nominations/Nominations.htm

Not correct to have the court simply vote for judges who's opinions they approve of. We need judges that the country approves of!

For Israel to become a democracy, the next step is to demand accountability by the State Prosecutor. Nowadays, they only investigate people they don't like (guilty or not) to defame them and waste their time and money (Netanyahu, Lieberman, Rabbi Lior) and do not investigate people they like, even when there is evidence of criminal wrong-doing (Sharon, Barak, Booji Herzog, Sternhell).

Get your head out of whatever it is in. Let's take your thesis further: The court should consist of men and women according to their relative numbers in the population. Arabs (Moslems and Christians), Jews (religious and non religious), ashkenazi and mizrachi, Ethiopians, heterosexuals and homosexauls, urbanites and provencials, and many others whom I am sure I have not mentioned. Lady, the court is to protect the citizen against encroachment by the state and not vice versa

While you extreme right is busy fighting with the extreme left, Iran is already progressing to the next step in their nuclear weapon. Instead of improving the living conditions of your people, you MKs are only busy looking for ways to protect yourselves!

does that I am for it.

Boycott Bill yesterday, curtailing freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Today this, with the legislature meddling in the operation of the judiciary, thus violating the sacrosanct principle of the separation of powers, which is the pillar of democracy. The occupation was once described as a cancer gnawing away at the Israeli society, and we are witnessing it happen in real-time before our eyes. 60-70 years... - well, Israel has had a good run. See you back in another two millennia that we'll spend wandering the planet...

The US Congress vets Justices to the Supreme Court, Why not here. The elitist left destroy democracy but claim transpancy or question prospective jurist is un democratic. Once on the bench we are stuck with judges.The people need input.

These MKs and most who have written here have no idea at all of what democracy is. You have all lost your minds!!

The Left is hysterical about losing its grip on power- nopt democracy mind you. GOOD. they are the ever increasing minority. from the snatching of religious yeminte children, to the blowing up of fellow jewish soldeiers (rabin on the ship atalanta), from oslo to the nepotism of the so called supreme court. we need transparency, we need that real kind of democracy, not a democracy dressed as "good ole boys from the left" for our highest court.

style. judges shouldnt be electing each other to the bench. this sint the good ole boys club, it should be the majority of the people as represented by the majority parties in the knesset. any other way is anti democracy, Israel needs to become transparent, and her leaders 100% accountable just as in the US

in USA, the father and defender of democracy. CONGRESS approves EVERY candidacy for supreme court and the cabinet!

The High Court has nothing to do with social, security and political issues, its power should be limited to the judicial field. Hopefully the proposal ius going to get approved.

Again this is the same system as in the US so what is the problem the leftist are scared? Where is the left getting their funding foreign goverments and that is democrocy? no it is foreign interference.

Supreme Court is not liked nor respected by the citizens of the state. However they believe that since they know the law they can drive the country no matter what people think. 90% of the court Ashkenazim and lefties, 50% living in Rehavia is that democracy? They elect just people who think like them and who have as much money as they have. The Supreme Court is a shame for Israel and antagonizes with the people of Israel!

I'm sure you're a leftist and of course, the system works for you. There are more people in Israel than the left wing so called "intellectuals" who live in N. Tel Aviv. The court should reflect that.

Dominated by secular leftists, the Israeli Ubercourt is out of step with the most of the traditional "Jewish" residents of this country and their sensibilities. The concept of this being a "Jewish" country escapes them. It is time to bring them in check. It is time we had a Sanhedrin.

A "senior legal expert" is quoted claiming "Knesset members are apparently trying to eliminate democracy and force politicians into the Supreme Court." Have we, in the US, eliminated democracy when not just candidates to the Supreme Court but judges at *every* federal level must be approved first by the Judiciary Committee then by the full Senate? That's the procedure outlined in our Constitution which posits not just a separation of powers but the checking of each branch by the others. The President (Executive) nominates someone for the Court (Judicial) which must be approved by the Senate (Legislative). It's our way of at least trying to keep one branch from becoming too powerful, as Israel's Supreme Court has become.