Israeli Ministers Reject Supreme Court Ruling on Second Authority Council Composition

Following a Supreme Court ruling on June 17, 2026, regarding the composition of the Second Authority Council, Israeli ministers Yariv Levin and Shlomo Karhi announced that the government will not comply with the court's decision. They declared that the government will not recognize any decisions, approvals, appointments, or actions by the council if it does not meet the legal quorum requirements. This ruling reinstated the council from the previous government despite its membership falling below the minimum threshold set by law.

Senior government officials dismissed Karhi's announcement as lacking practical significance, comparing it to Levin's earlier refusal to recognize Justice Isaac Amit as Supreme Court President while still allowing the committee to convene and elect him. They accused Levin and Karhi of seeking headlines rather than effecting real change and emphasized that the government is sharply criticizing the court ruling but not violating any judicial orders or calling for disobedience.

In parallel, reports from Channel 13 revealed that Justice Minister Yariv Levin warned activists that this decision is only the beginning, predicting a constitutional crisis over judicial appointments in the next Knesset session. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly approved the declaration against the Supreme Court ruling behind the scenes but abstained from the vote to avoid conflict of interest claims. A senior official stated, "It is time to create a crisis with the Supreme Court."