Ben-Gvir gets ‘national guard’ for consenting to delaying judicial reforms

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir will get control of Israel’s National Guard in exchange for his support for delaying controversial judicial overhaul plans, according to local media.

Earlier Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a delay to the judicial reform plans amid protests against the planned change.

Before the announcement, the Jewish Strength Party, headed by Ben-Gvir, said the minister agreed to give the government an extension on advancing the judicial reform bill in the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) until the next Knesset session, which starts in early May.

Israeli human rights organisation, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, said the National Guard move would create "a private, armed militia that would be directly under Ben-Gvir's control."

According to the Jerusalem Post newspaper, the Israeli government will approve a decision on Sunday to subjugate the National Guard to Ben-Gvir in exchange for his support to Netanyahu’s decision to delay the overhaul.

The National Guard is part of Israel’s border police. It has around 900 regular members and thousands of reservists and volunteers.

Israel has seen mass protests over the past 12 weeks against plans by Netanyahu’s government for judicial reform, seen by the opposition as an attempt to reduce the powers of the judicial authority in favor of the executive.

However, Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, insists that his judicial plan would enhance democracy and would restore the balance between the legislative, executive, and judicial powers.

READ MORE: Israel turmoil: Thousands protest as Netanyahu delays judicial overhaul