With hostages’ return, Israel’s internal politics ramp up as gov’t & judicial systems spar again

Even as the last living hostages were still in the process of returning to Israel on Monday, the focus on internal politics started to return to prominence as the simmering conflict between the government and the judicial system erupted again.

The bone of contention was the lack of an invitation to the president of the Supreme Court, as well as the attorney general, to attend U.S. President Donald Trump’s Knesset speech.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana (Likud) pointedly refused to invite them, contrary to official parliament protocol, due to the sharp, long-standing differences of opinion between the government coalition and the two judicial heads.

This prompted a rare, public political statement by President Isaac Herzog, who said their exclusion was “inappropriate and harms the dignity of the state.”

“I am very sorry about this incident,” Herzog added. “It is a blow to the dignity of the state and an inappropriate act — particularly on a day so filled with uplifted spirit and national unity.”

The coalition has been trying to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for publicly criticizing and opposing many of the government’s policies, despite her role as the government’s legal advisor.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and several other coalition members have stated they do not recognize Judge Isaac Amit as Supreme Court president.

Amit was elected by the Judicial Selection Committee after a 15-month conflict between the court and Levin, who sought to change the current seniority system to appoint a more conservative judge.

In another arena of the conflict between government and judicial system, Levin announced Wednesday that he would support a bill meant to enable the defense minister to limit the number of court hearings in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial.

The hearings resumed on Wednesday morning in Tel Aviv. “This morning, instead of continuing the difficult struggle to [secure the] return of all the slain hostages, to disarm Hamas, and to expand the circle of peace, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to appear in court and answer bizarre questions about dolls and cigars,” said Levin.

During his Knesset speech, Trump had turned to President Herzog with the request to pardon Netanyahu, after mocking the charges against him.

Several other pressing political issues are looming. The conflict around the IDF conscription law still hasn’t been solved, and Netanyahu is eager to solve the issue to allow the ultra-Orthodox parties to fully rejoin the coalition.

In a sign of all sides’ eagerness for a solution, Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth met with representatives of the Shas Party on Friday, during the Sukkot holiday, to discuss a possible new bill proposal.

However, Israel Hayom cited a source present at the meeting, who said there were no “good tidings.”

Finally, another deadline for the possible collapse of the government looms in next March, when the coalition will have to pass a new state budget.

This will, again, require compromises with the ultra-Orthodox parties while also satisfying the military’s need to restore its capabilities and equipment after two years of continuous war.

Israel Hayom cited sources close to the prime minister who asserted that Netanyahu will not want to trigger new elections before the return of the last hostages and ensuring that Hamas will not restore control over the Gaza Strip and, instead, is on the path to disarmament.