Environment Minister Idit Silman of Likud launched a sharp attack on Supreme Court President Isaac Amit on Sunday, after his remarks in the High Court of Justice hearing on petitions against changing the composition of the committee that selects judges. Silman said, "The arrogance of Judge Amit is incomprehensible," arguing that "the Knesset, which is sovereign, legislated and decided what the committee will look like," while Amit, in her words, had "appointed himself without authority as president of the Supreme Court" and wanted to remove politicians from the panel.
Silman escalated the criticism, saying, "Maybe he should declare himself ruler of Israel and we will be done with the show of supposedly being a democracy." She added that if anyone should be removed from the committee, it should be the judges, whom she called "the biggest politicians," because they have no electoral checks and balances.
Her comments came as the High Court sat in an expanded panel of 11 justices over petitions challenging the law that changes the judges-selection committee. During the hearing, Amit said the new arrangement strengthens the political branch’s power in the committee, and noted that representatives of the Bar Association were removed and replaced by two political appointees selected by elected officials.
Silman is not alone in the government’s criticism. Justice Minister Yariv Levin said judicial intervention in a Basic Law is illegal and undermines democracy, and urged the Knesset to stand firmly against it. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also attacked the court, saying judges had no right or authority to strike down Basic Laws. In the same interview with Srugim, Silman praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct in the war with Iran, saying he is "not afraid and ready to decide," unlike opposition leaders.
