Critics of the Israeli government's controversial plan to limit judicial power, which has provoked bitter divisions, mass demonstrations, and warnings that the country may be on the brink of "a genuine civil war," often portray the proposed reforms as a threat to "democracy." The truth is almost exactly the opposite.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies argue that an independent judiciary with the power to override legislation constrains democracy by frustrating the will of the majority. They are right about that. But their opponents are right that unconstrained majority rule is a recipe for tyranny. In this context, democracy is the problem, not the solution.
