Last update - 00:00 15/11/2007
Beinisch: Friedmann`s claim that High Court impedes Knesset baseless
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch harshly criticized Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann on Thursday, calling his proposed bill to limit the authority of High Court "superficial."
Speaking at a legal convention in Caesarea, she said that Justice Ministry bills "are imposed on us without public debate," and that Friedmann's claim that the High Court seeks to limit the Knesset's jurisdiction is baseless.
Also on Thursday, President Shimon Peres called for harsher punishments against violent criminals, saying that courts have become too forgiving with law breakers.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of court justices in the Presidential residence, Peres said that "among law-abiding citizens there is a growing feeling that lawlessness is not being blocked, laws are not being properly enforced and serious criminals are not being dealt with aggressively enough."
"While the courts are not the only ones to blame, the judicial system has a central role in this issue and sometimes it seems that there is an unexplainable forgiveness of criminals," Peres said, adding that "the effort to preserve the rights of criminals at any cost is coming at the expense of the victims".
"I know," Peres said, "that it is the wish of honest citizens that the courts protect their rights by fully enforcing the law and giving harsher punishments two violent criminals, organized crime members and reckless drivers."
Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann showed his support for Peres, saying that "there are too many unjustified inconsistencies regarding sentencing of similar crimes."
Friedmann then mentioned his bill to standardize the punishments of different crimes, explaining that "the proposal will improve the level of equality in sentencing. On similar crimes there must be similar punishments. Today, there is no such equality."
"With the help of the judicial branch we can overcome the wave of crime that has washed over us".
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