Israeli minister claims court decisions can be ignored if ‘illegal’

Israel’s communications minister has escalated tensions between the government and judiciary, claiming that illegal Supreme Court rulings do not need to be obeyed. In an interview, the minister argued that the court is “creating anarchy” through its decisions, marking another flashpoint in the ongoing constitutional crisis gripping the country.

The comments come amid a significant dispute over a government decision that the Supreme Court has challenged. The minister suggested that the court’s role has become overreaching, claiming judges acted carelessly on what they viewed as a minor administrative matter. He blamed the opposition leader, Yair Lapid, for preferring what he called “anarchy” to the current Netanyahu-led government, and invoked a quote from former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to support his position.

The statement represents a dramatic challenge to judicial authority in Israel. Previous governments have generally accepted Supreme Court rulings, even when contentious, viewing compliance as essential to democratic norms. This latest rhetoric signals deepening conflict between the executive branch and the judiciary, issues that have dominated Israeli politics in recent months and raised concerns about the stability of democratic institutions.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.