The government formally responded to the High Court of Justice on Tuesday, asserting that justices must rule according to the law and warning that failure to comply with the law could expose them to personal tort liability, according to the government's statement.
The government's formal response, submitted Tuesday morning, escalates the confrontation by threatening personal tort liability against High Court justices if they rule contrary to the law. This follows the court's warnings earlier today — first reported at 08:47 Jerusalem — that defiance could lead to tort liability. The government's statement mirrors that framing.
The thread began at 08:47 Jerusalem, when The Zioneer reported (citing ynet) that High Court justices told the government that elected officials must act according to the law. Simultaneously, the court issued a formal response to the government's non-compliance notification, the content of which remains undisclosed. Also at 08:47, citing N12 reporter Amit Segal, the court warned that non-compliance may result in tort liability. The desk's earlier dispatch at 08:50 Jerusalem confirmed the warning.
The confrontation has been building over recent days. On Sunday, the government formally informed the High Court it would not recognize rulings it deems contrary to the law, as The Zioneer reported at 15:01 Jerusalem. That same day, Attorney David Petar warned that the government would use all legal tools if the court ruled against the plain language of the law (Sun 19:46 Jerusalem). Minister Eli Cohen and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi both stated that everyone is subject to the law, including the court (Mon 20:00 and Sun 20:32 Jerusalem, respectively). Critics have warned of economic damage, with the Hi-Tech Forum describing the crisis as a real threat to Israel's economic future (Sun 16:30 Jerusalem). War cabinet observer Gadi Eisenkot called defiance a "declaration of rebellion against the rule of law" (Thu Jul 2, 19:31 Jerusalem).
It remains unclear which specific ruling or legislation the government's statement refers to. The content of the court's formal response to the government's non-compliance notification has not been disclosed. The legal and practical implications of the tort liability threats are not yet defined.
5 developments
- StrongSmotrich, Karai, Levin condemn High Court warning as 'extortion', 'yoke', call for judicial soul-searching
- StrongJustice Minister Levin accuses High Court justices of acting 'like dictators'
- StrongHigh Court Justices Warn: Defying Rulings May Lead to Personal Responsibility
- DevelopingJustice Minister Levin attacks Supreme Court as 'enabling' attorney general's actions
Source and signal
- Internal intake