Israel General Discussion: Annus Horribilis

[President Johnson]

I'm sorry if that was discussed earlier, though Wikipedia doesn't give a clean answer: Can Isaac Herzog block the judicial "reform" planned to enact? Wikipedia says the president must sign laws, but what if he doesn't? Even in other countries with ceremonial heads of state (like Germany), the president not signing a law means it can't go into effect.

[President Johnson]

Many apologies if that was already discussed elsewhere, but since Herzog came out against these proposals, can't he just refuse to sign the bill? Wikipedia article about the presidency doesn't answer the question. In some other countries with ceremonial heads of state, their approval is still necessary (in Germany no bill can go into effect without the president's signature, though he usually only refuses to sign when constitutionality is in question).

[President Johnson]

Israel should just have a system where it has the President appoint justices to the Supreme Court and given the President is not part of parliament, it still preserves checks and balances.

The judicial branch also needs checks and one way to put a check on it is by having one of the other branches appoint justices and the other confirm appointments.

Well, the president just appointing judges would entrust a single individual with more power than a legislative body as a whole. Today I'd certainly have a lot more faith in Herzog than Bibi's far-right cabinet and their enablers in parliament, though that may change with new elections.