Justice minister says High Court ruling on judicial overhaul law would divide nation in wartime

Justice Minister Yariv Levin calls on the High Court of Justice not to announce its opinion on the controversial “reasonableness law” during the ongoing war in Gaza and on the northern border, saying a ruling at this time would be too divisive.

His comments come following a leak of a draft ruling indicating that the court intends to strike down the law.

“While our soldiers are fighting alongside each other on different fronts, and at a time when the entire nation is in pain over the loss of many soldiers, the people of Israel should not be split apart with disputes,” says Levin.

“The citizens of Israel expect the High Court not to publish a controversial ruling, even among its judges, during a war,” he adds.

According to the report by Channel 12, the court is split eight to seven in favor of striking down the law.

But former Supreme Court president Esther Hayut and former Supreme Court justice Anat Baron both retired in the middle of October, and they only have till the middle of January to issue opinions on cases they heard before retirement.

Both Hayut and Baron are reportedly in favor of striking down the law, so without their opinions there would be a majority against annulling the legislation.