Yariv Levin Predicts Supreme Court Overhaul Will Render Judicial Reform Unnecessary

Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin recently shared with party activists his belief that the expected retirement of two-thirds of the Supreme Court justices during the next Knesset term will naturally transform the court's composition, making formal judicial reform legislation unnecessary. Levin recounted a past conversation with a sitting Supreme Court justice who suggested that justices like Dr. Aviad Bakshi and Dr. Rafi Biton did not meet the court's standards, implying resistance to their appointments. Levin responded that he is confident the Likud party will prevail and that once the next term begins, with six justices retiring, the new appointments, including Bakshi and Biton, will fundamentally change the court's makeup. He warned the current justices that they will effectively "disappear." Levin also indicated his intention to reclaim the Justice Ministry portfolio if Likud forms the next government, enabling him to oversee the appointment of ten new justices, constituting two-thirds of the court. This shift is expected to significantly alter the judiciary's direction without the need for legislative reform.