Israel’s judge slams govt ‘attack’ with judicial overhaul plans

TEL AVIV: Israel´s top judge lashed out on Thursday at the justice minister´s controversial plans to overhaul the judicial system, calling it an “unbridled attack” in rare public criticism of the government.

Days after entering office as part of Israel´s most right-wing government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced last week a series of moves to allow politicians to override the Supreme Court´s decisions and change the way judges are appointed.

“The justice minister´s new plan is not one to fix the legal system, but to crush it,” Supreme Court president Esther Hayut said at a legal conference, in remarks relayed by the court administration.

“This is an unbridled attack on the legal system, as if it were an enemy that should be swarmed on and overwhelmed.” Judges in Israel are not permitted to publicly comment on political issues.