At a major public law conference in Haifa, former Supreme Court president Esther Hayut delivered a stark warning about what she described as a growing assault on Israel’s judicial system. Hayut condemned certain elected officials for “trampling the rule of law” and for engaging in a systematic campaign to delegitimize the judiciary, including public calls to ignore High Court rulings. She characterized this trend as a “dangerous decline” that threatens the courts’ ability to safeguard individual rights.
Despite her alarm, Hayut expressed confidence in Israel’s judges and public servants, emphasizing their commitment to uphold their duties even under political pressure.
Her remarks came amid escalating tensions between the judiciary and the government. Current Supreme Court President Isaac Amit accused Justice Minister Yariv Levin of attempting to dismantle the judicial system, while former chief justice Aharon Barak said Israel is “no longer the democracy we once were.” Levin’s ongoing judicial overhaul — initiated in 2023 and widely criticized as an effort to weaken checks and balances — continues to fuel nationwide debate and protest.