‘Leading to anarchy’: Opposition assails government for declaring intent to disobey High Court

The opposition assails the government’s announcement that it will not obey a High Court of Justice decision allowing the Council of the Second Authority, the commercial broadcasting regulatory body, to continue operating despite lacking a two-thirds quorum of members.

It is the first time the government has said it will not obey a court order, and could lead to a constitutional crisis.

Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot accuses the government of “assaulting Israeli democracy. Netanyahu is dividing Israel.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid says a government that disobeys the High Court will become an illegal government. “We will not accept its rulings and decisions.”

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who leads the Together party with Lapid, warns that non-compliance with the court will lead to “anarchy on the streets and to the collapse of our state.”

Head of The Democrats party Yair Golan says the decision is a preview of what will happen on election day in October.

“This government knows it has no chance of winning elections, and therefore it is waging a war on the rule of law,” he says. “This is a criminal government that has no red lines.”

The head of the Israel Bar Association, attorney Amit Becher, says: “It is not coincidental that the government’s grave decision not to obey a High Court ruling is tied to the attempt to destroy press freedom.”

“One can disagree with a ruling, claim it is wrong, criticize it,” he says. “But a government can never violate a court ruling. A government that does not accept the principle that it is subject to the law and to court decisions — breaches its duty, dismantles society, and rebels against the state and the people.”