Right-wing politicians were outraged with the High Court of Justice Thursday after it ordered the Knesset to go ahead with the necessary vote to replace Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, who opposed it saying it would undermine his efforts to facilitate the formation of a national unity government.
Edelstein dropped a political bombshell on Wednesday when he opted to resign rather than complying with the court order to call a parliament vote on his own replacement. He thus became the first Knesset speaker in Israel's history to resign.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
As per the Knesset's bylaws, until such time that lawmakers name a replacement, the eldest among them will serve as Knesset speaker. In this case, the role falls to Labor party Leader Amir Peretz.
He is expected to order the Arrangements Committee, which oversees parliament's operations in the interim between two governments, to call a vote on the matter.
The right-wing bloc, comprising the Likud, Yamina – an alliance of the Habayit Hayehudi, National Union, and New Right parties – and haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, said its members would boycott the vote.
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, who was tasked by President Reuven Rivlin to form a coalition following the March 2 elections, would like to install Yesh Atid MK Meir Cohen as Israel's speaker of the House.
Former Justice Minister MK Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) lambasted the High Court's ruling, tweeting, "The High Court simply invented a nonexistent remedy and ordered the legislator how to proceed. This move is devoid of any legal basis. They [the judges] bypassed the [Knesset's] bylaws and bypassed Basic Law[: The Knesset]. Like the Left keeps saying, democracy is slowly dying."
Fellow Yamina lawmaker Transport Minister MK Bezalel Smotrich also attacked the High Court's decision. Saying, "The High Court continues irresponsibly deepens the constitutional crisis we are in. The nature of arrogance is that it's like a boomerang. The Knesset will not remain indifferent to the High Court's gross interference in its affairs and it will put an end to it."
MK Mickey Zohar, chairman of the Likud faction, accused the court of rendering a ruling colored by political bias."Now it is official: The High Court and the entire legal system work full-time for the Left and the media.
"Given the fact that here we have another disgraceful decision by the High Court, there is little wonder that the public's trust in this institution is decreasing by the minute. It seems the time has come when the public must decide between its elected officials and the legal junta" he tweeted.
The Movement for Quality Government, which petitioned the High Court to order the vote on Edelstein's successor, welcomed the decision, saying, "The court did well to defend the honor of the Knesset on the day when the speaker of the Knesset showed only contempt for it. We hope that these dark days will serve as a warning sign for the public and in Israel's history."
