In an April Fool’s joke, Israeli rightwing lawmaker Simcha Rothman trolled critics on the left by publishing on X a fake bill proposing a national day of commemoration in memory of democracy.
The text, which mocked claims that the right-wing coalition and Rothman specifically are a danger to democracy, stated: “Schools will teach how democracy ended in Israel the day that the law on the makeup of judicial selection committee was passed, with delayed effect, in how the opposition was allowed to affect the selection of judges.”
The commemoration at the Knesset would be kicked off by “the eternal head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, or his personally appointed successors.” The education minister would oversee other education activities and prescribe “the legal punishments for those who fail to observe” the memorial day properly. Under “amendments,” the text said that “the law for the freedom of the press is canceled.”
The text, which mocks left-wing warnings about the end of democracy under the right, references last week’s passing of a law that increases the influence of elected politicians on the appointment of judges. It also alludes to a High Court of Justice order barring the government from firing Ronen Bar—a ruling favored by the left but decried as undemocratic on the right.
Rothman, chair of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, is a prominent and outspoken critic of the judiciary’s perceived overreach at the expense of elected politicians’ mandate.
“I am happy to announce that after hard work, we were able to submit to the Knesset one of the bills that I am most proud of,” he wrote about the satirical text.
Representing the Religious Zionism party of Bezalel Smotrich, Rothman is among the leaders of the judicial reform led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It seeks to introduce greater accountability to the judiciary and return to elected official powers that have gradually been taken over by unelected ones.
The left has mobilized in opposition to the judicial reform along with parts of the center, prompting hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to protest the plan in mass rallies since early 2023. The judicial reform’s critics say it jeopardizes democracy by making the judiciary dependent on the executive branch.
Several opposition voices were not amused by Rothman’s prank.
“Dear Simcha, we are very happy to see that you had free time to think of an April Fool’s Day prank while there are 59 hostages being held captive by Hamas and you are a partner in promoting draft-dodging laws and financing military service evaders,” a spokesperson for Hofshi B’Artzenu, an anti-government protest movement, wrote on X.
Rothman did not respond to a request for comment on this by JNS.
Avichay Buaron, a lawmaker for Likud, also posted an April Fool’s joke, writing: “I submitted a bill to extend the government’s term of office from four to six years. This is to ensure continuity of the government and consolidate majority rule.”
