In rare rebuke, Herzog pans exclusion of Supreme Court justice and AG from Trump’s Knesset address

In a rare public rebuke of domestic affairs, President Isaac Herzog condemns the exclusion of Supreme Court President Isaac Amit and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara from US President Donald Trump’s address to the Knesset on Monday, calling it “inappropriate” and against “the dignity of the state” in a statement from his office.

“The exclusion of the President of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General from the Knesset session for the address of the US President is inappropriate and harms the dignity of the state,” Herzog says in the statement.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana did not invite the two officials to the session, during which Trump celebrated the return of hostages from Gaza and declared that Israel had won the war against Hamas.

“I am very sorry about this incident. It is a blow to the dignity of the state and an inappropriate act — particularly on a day so filled with uplifted spirit and national unity,” the president adds.

There was no immediate comment from Ohana’s office on his decision not to invite the two figures, which came as the government seeks to dismiss Baharav-Miara, while Justice Minister Yariv Levin refuses to recognize Amit’s authority as chief justice. The coalition continues to advance plans to curb the powers of the courts as part of its broader judicial overhaul.