Chief justice warns of ‘unprecedented’ attacks on justice system

Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut slams attacks on the state prosecution and judiciary, saying “these are days unprecedented in our political history.”

“The politicization of the justice system could utterly undermine its foundations as an independent system,” she says.

This period “requires us all to stand strong and do our work without fear, with responsibility and good judgment.”

Hayut’s comments come a day after Justice Minister Amir Ohana, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, launched a scathing attack on state prosecutors in his ministry, accusing them of engaging in a blind persecution of public officials, including the prime minister, who they believed threatened their standing, all while being supported by a “cult” of fawning reporters.

Ohana was slammed on Tuesday by top officials, including Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and State Attorney Shai Nitzan, who said in a joint statement they “regret” his comments and “reject the attempt to cast aspersions on the work of police and prosecution officials without any factual basis.”