Justice Kasher
Justice Kasher is a member of Israel's High Court of Justice, known for his rulings on administrative law and the limits of governmental authority over public institutions.
Justice Kasher serves as a judge on the High Court of Justice (HCJ), Israel's supreme judicial authority. His judicial philosophy emphasizes the protection of democratic norms and the prevention of arbitrary governmental interference in public discourse. In recent rulings, Kasher has emerged as a firm voice against the use of executive power to silence media outlets or public institutions based on political dissatisfaction with their content.
In August 2026, Justice Kasher authored a significant ruling overturning a government decision to shut down Army Radio (Galei Tzahal). In his opinion, Kasher articulated a strict standard for governmental conduct, asserting that a governing authority cannot shutter a broadcaster simply because it finds the content or the presenters' views disagreeable. He characterized such actions as "clearly undemocratic," arguing that the use of "extraneous and invalid considerations" to influence the media landscape undermines the foundations of a free society. This ruling reinforced the legal principle that while the government may have administrative oversight, it does not possess the right to use that oversight as a tool for censorship or political retribution. Kasher's stance reflects a broader judicial trend in Israel that seeks to insulate public institutions from shifting political winds, ensuring that their existence is tied to professional and legal standards rather than the favor of the sitting government. His work continues to shape the boundaries between the executive branch and the independence of public bodies in the Jewish state.