Lapid says Levin violating the law by boycotting new Supreme Court chief

By Sam Sokol 27 January 2025, 6:11 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Head of opposition and head of the Yesh Atid party MK Yair Lapid leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on January 27, 2025.(Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s boycott of newly elected Supreme Court President Isaac Amit “is a violation of the law,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares.

Addressing the press ahead of his Yesh Atid party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, Lapid says that every time anybody has called the current government illegitimate, “Levin and Netanyahu’s response has been: ‘But this government was elected legally.’ The Judicial Selection Committee was also elected legally.”

“I am turning to Yariv Levin from here and asking him: What are you trying to do? What are you trying to achieve? Your coup d’état has dismantled Israeli society, created hatred and division here like never before, and led to October 7 disaster. It’s time to stop this,” Lapid continues.

“I call on Yariv Levin: convene the committee, sit down with Judge Amit, build a working relationship with him. He is not your enemy. He is an Israeli patriot and wants the best for the country.”