Ex-supreme court justice: Government pledge to disobey High Court is ‘reminiscent of eve of Oct. 7’

Retired Supreme Court justice Hanan Melcer says that the government’s declaration of intent to disobey a High Court ruling yesterday has put Israel in a position “reminiscent of the eve of October 7,” when the coalition’s controversial judicial overhaul legislation sparked deep divisions among the Israeli public.

Speaking to the Kan public broadcaster, Melcer says that the government resolution rejecting the High Court ruling on the operations of the Council of the Second Authority, the commercial broadcasting regulatory body, has “crossed a red line” as it effectively “states that they don’t recognize the decisions of the High Court of Justice.”

“This is an attack on democracy,” warns the retired judge.

Continuing, Melcer says that Israel is now “in a situation reminiscent” of the months leading up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which were marked by regular mass protests against the government’s push to overhaul Israel’s judicial system.

“Then, as now, someone broke out with the idea of a coup d’état and the abolition of judicial independence,” he says. “Our enemies heard, saw, and acted on it. I’m warning that, at least in my opinion, we’re in a very similar situation.”