‘Destruction of our democracy’: Israeli Opposition slams Netanyahu govt’s pledge to defy Supreme Court ruling

Israeli Opposition leader Yair Lapid has slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government’s decision not to abide by a Supreme Court ruling as the “destruction of the foundations of our democracy” and the most serious constitutional crisis in the country’s history.

The development comes after Netanyahu’s government declared that it would not comply with a Supreme Court ruling in the case concerning Channel 13’s takeover by a critic of the government — an unprecedented step that has finally brought long-simmering tensions between the Israeli far right and the judiciary to a head.

Former Prime Minister Lapid said that Netanyahu’s government “had turned criminal”.

“This is the most serious constitutional crisis in Israel’s history. It's the destruction of the foundations of our democracy,” Lapid said.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who leads the principal opposition party along with Lapid, criticised the government as an “illegal” regime that has pursued a “dangerous breach of trust” by rejecting the Supreme Court’s ruling.

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“We are seeing a government announcing that it will violate a court ruling. This is a severe and dangerous breach of trust by the government toward the state,” Bennett said.

While the case concerned a media regulator’s ability to continue operating without its governing council having the legally mandated quorum, it had evolved into one of the most significant constitutional questions facing Israel. After the Supreme Court provisionally ruled last month that the regulator could continue functioning temporarily, allowing it to approve licences and ownership changes, it became clear that the takeover of the channel by a government critic would proceed.

The government has therefore declared that it will not abide by the ruling to prevent a critic from gaining control of the news channel. Ministers have accused the Supreme Court of judicial overreach.

Supreme Court exceeded its authority: Government

In a statement, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced on Sunday their rejection of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

For years, the Israeli far-right has criticised the judiciary and sought ways to undermine Supreme Court rulings and curb the court’s independence. Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul was intended to achieve these goals, but nationwide protests and the October 7 attack meant the overhaul was never fully implemented.

As the regulator appeared inclined to approve the channel’s takeover by a critic of the government, the government declared that it would not abide by the ruling.

“Today, the government unanimously approved a proposal declaring that it will not recognise any decision, approval, appointment, or action taken by the Council of the Second Authority as long as the council does not meet the explicit minimum requirements established by law,” the ministers said.

Karhi and Levin argued that the Supreme Court had exceeded its authority and was effectively rewriting the legislation governing the regulator through its ruling.

Critics of the government’s position have argued that the decision sets a precedent under which any future government could disregard a ruling it does not like.