Attorney Yoram Sheftel charged Wednesday that Israel has been living under an 'unbridled judicial dictatorship' for 31 years, enabled by the High Court's 'hostile takeover' of the Knesset and government. Sheftel warned: as long as officials comply with High Court rulings — the dictatorship continues.
Veteran attorney and public figure Yoram Sheftel launched a sharp attack on the High Court of Justice on Wednesday, asserting that Israel has been living under an 'unbridled judicial dictatorship' for 31 years — since the High Court assumed the authority to strike down Basic Laws. According to a video broadcast by the Idotauber the source, Sheftel accused the court of a 'hostile takeover' of the Knesset and government, arguing that as long as officials comply with its decisions, the dictatorship continues.
The statement comes amid ongoing tensions between the coalition and the judiciary. As The Zioneer has reported, the High Court earlier this week accepted petitions against the State Comptroller's investigation into the October 7 massacre, ruling it ultra vires (Monday, June 29). Separately, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned the court against destroying Israeli democracy (Sunday, June 21), and Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit was criticized for a unilateral veto of a Basic Law (Sunday, June 21).
Sheftel's remarks represent the most sweeping personal condemnation from a prominent legal figure in the current cycle of the judicial-power debate. No response from the court was immediately available. The claims remain attributed to Sheftel and are not independently verified by The Zioneer.
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