After a 42-hour filibuster as Knesset members expressed their opposition, the Police Recommendations Law was enacted after passing its second and third reading. The law, which prohibits the police from summing up their investigations in a recommendation, is also opposed by the Attorney General, many public figures, academics and retired Supreme Court judges as well as the police themselves.
The Law will come into effect in 14 days but will not apply to existing investigations including Cases 1000 and 2000 involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Law will also not apply to future suspects who may emerge in probes already underway such as Case 3000 involving the German submarines affair.
The new Law also leaves it open to the Attorney General to decide when the police can publish the results of their investigation.
MK Yair Lapid, chairman of Yesh Atid, said that he will petition the High Court of Justice this morning to overturn the Law. Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked was angered by Lapid's intention. She said, "You are trampling the legislative authority and don't understand anything about constitutional law. I'm ashamed that after three days of debates and endless discussions in committee, you run to the High Court."
Lapid was swift to respond. "We don't take instructions from the government coalition and certainly not on a day when the government has subjugated democratic procedure because of Netanyahu's criminal troubles."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 28, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017