Political attacks on Supreme Court chief cross red line, over 100 retired judges warn
The warnings follow remarks by Religious Zionist Party Chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who called Amit a “violent, predatory megalomaniac who is stealing Israeli democracy.”
Two non-political professional groups weighed in this week against what they described as an escalation of violent rhetoric directed at Supreme Court Chief Justice Isaac Amit: a coalition of law school deans from universities and colleges across Israel, and more than 100 retired judges and former court presidents.
The interventions follow remarks made Monday by Religious Zionist Party Chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who during a faction meeting called Amit a “violent, predatory megalomaniac who is stealing Israeli democracy,” and warned that “the result will be that we will crush him.”
These comments triggered a political and institutional reaction. Opposition lawmakers and senior judiciary officials condemned the comments, calling them crossing a red line, while Justice Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi (Likud) publicly expressed support for the sentiments.
A day later, Amit issued a rare public letter to members of the judiciary, denouncing what he described as violent and inciting rhetoric directed against him and the judiciary, and emphasizing that the courts would not be deterred from fulfilling their role in a democratic state.
On Wednesday, the deans of Israel’s law faculties and schools issued a joint statement expressing their full support for Amit and strongly condemning Smotrich’s comments, warning that they crossed a “dangerous moral line.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addresses the Knesset on Monday during a parliamentary meeting of his Religious Zionist party. “His recent behavior has shown a face that shames me for being a religious Zionist,” accuses the writer. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Scholars say political disagreements can never justify personal delegitimization, verbal abuse or insinuations of physical violence against judges, especially the head of the judiciary. Although criticism of court decisions is legitimate and essential in a democracy, they said, it becomes unacceptable when it turns into incitement.
Incitement against the Supreme Court undermines democracy
Describing the Supreme Court as the cornerstone of the rule of law and Israeli democracy, the deans warned that such rhetoric – especially in a context of deep social polarization – undermines the democratic fabric, presents the judiciary as the enemy of a particular political camp and endangers the safety of judges. They called on public officials to maintain respectful discourse and to oppose all forms of incitement and violence.
On Thursday, dozens of retired judges and former court presidents from across Israel’s judiciary issued a separate public appeal expressing “deep concern” over what they described as a continuing campaign of incitement, verbal abuse and humiliation directed against Amit and the judiciary as a whole. The signatories warned that recent remarks by a government minister crossed a red line by implying incitement to physical violence.
The retired judges – more than 100 in total, including former presidents and Supreme Court justices – said attacks by elected officials and ministers have become commonplace and pose an immediate threat to the democratic foundations of the state, undermining public confidence in the courts and the independence of judicial review.
Warning that without a properly functioning justice system, Israel risks descending into a “regime of arbitrary and unrestrained power,” they called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act immediately to stop the attacks, and urged law enforcement authorities to ensure the personal safety of Amit and all members of the judiciary.
