BICOM

Two bills aimed at reforming the judicial appointments system passed their first reading in the Knesset yesterday amid strong criticism. The first bill, introduced by MK Yaakov Katz of the National Union Party, proposes to abolish the rule that a justice cannot be appointed Supreme Court president unless he is at least three years short of the mandatory retirement age of 70. The bill has been dubbed the Grunis bill because, if approved, it will pave the way for Justice Asher Grunis to be appointed president of the Supreme Court, with the retirement of Supreme Court President Judge Dorit Beinish next year.

The second bill, which was introduced by MK Robert Ilatov of Yisrael Beiteinu, mandates a change in the composition of the Judges Selection Committee, so that one of the two representatives of the Israeli Bar Association on the committee is the chairman of the bar.

Both bills received the support of some 50 MKs, and drew nay votes from 35 MKs. They will know be referred to committee for preparation ahead of a second reading. The second reading of both bills will be crucial, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and many Likud ministers were absent during the voting, as were Defence Minister Ehud Barak and the ministers from his Independence faction. Until the bills are adopted by a vote at the end of a third reading, they are still in the Knesset legislation process and thus are not yet law.