Israeli Police Spokesman Refuses to Confirm Obedience to Supreme Court Amid Government Defiance

On Tuesday, Israeli Police Spokesman Superintendent Aryeh Doron was interviewed on Kan Reshet Bet and repeatedly asked whether the police would obey the Supreme Court if its rulings conflicted with government directives. Doron declined to explicitly state that the police would follow the Supreme Court, saying only that the police "will obey whoever the law requires us to obey." When pressed why he would not clearly affirm obedience to the court, Doron responded that no law compels him to answer as desired and that he was speaking in his own words.

Later, legal sources clarified to Kan News that the Supreme Court's position is legally binding, citing Basic Law provisions that explicitly require government compliance with court decisions. This exchange occurred amid a broader political controversy after the government announced it would not comply with a Supreme Court ruling approving the composition of the Second Authority Council, a regulatory body.

In an official statement, ministers Yariv Levin and Shlomo Karhi declared they would not recognize any council decisions or appointments made without meeting legal criteria, calling the court ruling contradictory to the law and invalid. The Supreme Court condemned the government's stance and warned that ministers and Knesset members who disregard legal orders could face civil liability.

Justice Minister Levin responded harshly, accusing the court of acting like "the last dictators who lost public trust" and threatening to suppress those demanding justice. He called on the judges to reflect on how they had reached such a low point. Meanwhile, Culture Minister Miri Regev criticized the Supreme Court judges in the same interview, claiming they are privileged individuals who operate above the law, unlike ordinary citizens who must obey it.

This dispute highlights escalating tensions between Israel's judiciary and government over legal authority and the rule of law, with the police caught in the middle regarding which institution to follow in case of conflict.