High Court hearing on recusal law now over

The High Court of Justice hearing on the recusal law has come to an end.

It is not clear when the justices will issue a ruling, which is expected to address when the law should take effect and not whether the legislation should be struck down. The court has previously hinted it could delay the law’s implementation to the next Knesset to sidestep concerns the legislation was designed to protect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who under a conflict of interest agreement is barred from dealing with judicial matters that could influence his trial on criminal charges.

Some of the court’s liberal justices made clear during the hearing that they feel the law is so highly personal as to be problematic, while some of the conservative judges said the legislation helps clarify a previously unclear legal situation and that its purpose could therefore be legitimate.