Architect of Israel鈥檚 law reform on mass protests
Simcha Rothman says people on streets because they don鈥檛 like election result, 鈥渋t鈥檚 not about鈥udicial reform鈥�
Protesters in Israel have blocked roads and attempted to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from leaving the country amid nationwide demonstrations against controversial judicial reforms.
Critics of the plans say they will politicise the judiciary and lead to an authoritarian government. But speaking to the 蜜芽传媒, one of the architects of the changes, Simcha Rothman, a politician from Religious Zionist Party - said he was seeking to make the judiciary more accountable.
Mr Rothman, who chairs the Israeli parliament鈥檚 Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, defended the right to protest but said the demonstrators 鈥渁re going to the streets because they don't like the fact鈥� that Netanyahu is Prime Minister鈥�. He added that their real grievance was not the judicial reforms but the 鈥渙utcome of the election鈥� last November, which resulted in the most right-wing government in Israel鈥檚 history.
Speaking to Stephen Sackur, Mr Rothman also acknowledged that some of the protestors against his proposed reforms 鈥渞aise valid points鈥�. Israeli police have been criticised for some of the tactics they have used, including deploying stun grenades and tear gas against demonstrators. Israel鈥檚 President Isaac Herzog has warned that the country is 鈥渙n the brink of constitutional and social collapse鈥� because of the crisis.
