Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich lashed out at the Supreme Court on Sunday amid the expanded High Court hearing on the judicial selection reform, telling justices that if they wish to override Basic Laws they should form a party and run for the Knesset, according to N12. Smotrich's statement escalates the political clash over the court's authority to strike down Basic Laws.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned the Supreme Court on Sunday against interfering in legislation, telling justices that judicial authority does not include the power to strike Basic Laws. Speaking amid the expanded 11-justice High Court hearing on the Levin-Saar judicial selection reform, Smotrich said via N12: "If Yitzhak Amit and his gang want to interfere with a Basic Law — they are invited to form a party and get elected to the Knesset. The people are sovereign. Do not dare destroy Israeli democracy."
The remark is the sharpest salvo yet from a senior coalition minister against the court during the current hearing. As The Zioneer reported Sunday morning, Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit opened the session by asserting the court's authority to invalidate Basic Laws. Smotrich's statement directly challenges that claim and aligns with the coalition's broader legislative position that Basic Laws represent the people's sovereign will and cannot be overturned by judges.
The hearing continues, with no ruling expected imminently.
4 developments
- DevelopingSmotrich warns High Court: the people are sovereign, do not destroy Israeli democracy
- DevelopingPresident Amit warns of 'regime change' as High Court debates judicial selection reform
- DevelopingCritic slams Chief Justice for unilateral Basic Law veto, calls democracy 'flawed'
- DevelopingIsrael's High Court orders Justice Minister Levin to cooperate with Supreme Court President Amit
Source and signal
- Internal intake