Israeli Supreme Court Warns Ministers of Personal Civil Liability Over Broadcasting Authority Ruling

Israeli Supreme Court justices have issued a warning to government ministers about the risk of personal civil lawsuits if they fail to comply with the court's ruling concerning the Second Authority for Television and Radio. The judges emphasized that ministers would not enjoy personal immunity if they disregard the judicial decision. The statement, signed by Supreme Court President Isaac Amit and Justices Alex Stein and Ruth Ronen, underscored that both elected officials and public servants must act according to the law, and violating court rulings could negate personal immunity from tort claims.

This warning follows a government statement clarifying that it does not intend to defy the Supreme Court ruling but strongly criticizes it for contradicting explicit statutory language. Government Secretary Yossi Fox stated that the government plans to use all legal means to overturn the June 17 ruling, which allowed the Second Authority's council to continue functioning despite having fewer members than the law requires. The government argues that the court's decision conflicts with Section 21 of the Second Authority Law and declared it will not recognize actions by a council that does not meet the legal quorum.

The government’s official declaration stressed that the rule of law means all branches of government, including the executive, legislature, and judiciary, are subject to the law. It described the court ruling as an extreme case where the law’s wording is clear, and the court’s decision directly contradicts it, rather than a routine judicial review or interpretive dispute. The government reaffirmed its commitment to challenge the ruling through legal channels but warned ministers about the personal legal risks of noncompliance.