25th Knesset

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Knesset session on March 20, 2023 (Erik Marmor/Flash90)

Knesset to see decisive week for Supreme Court, as cracks appear in coalition

Core judicial overhaul plan to put coalition in control of appointing judges about to become law, amid mini-rebellion in Likud over pushing legislative pace despite societal rifts

March 26, 2023, 1:15 pm

Knesset to see decisive week for Supreme Court, as cracks appear in coalition

Core judicial overhaul plan to put coalition in control of appointing judges about to become law, amid mini-rebellion in Likud over pushing legislative pace despite societal rifts

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee MK Simcha Rothman leads a committee hearing, February 22, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

February 26, 2023, 7:01 am

Amid mass protests, government set to keep advancing legal overhaul at full steam

Knesset panel to discuss bills letting MKs shield legislation from review, limit option of recusing PM; next plenum votes expected Wednesday, when protesters plan ‘day of struggle’

By ToI Staff

Opposition MKs holding Israeli flags during the discussion and vote on the government's judicial overhaul plans in the Knesset, February 20, 2023 (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

February 21, 2023, 1:16 pm

Daily Briefing Feb. 21: Emotions high at Knesset as 1st part of overhaul bill passes

Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller-Lynn and legal affairs reporter Jeremy Sharon discuss impassioned debate as contentious legislation gets its first Knesset okay

By ToI Staff

Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee MK Simcha Rothman leads a committee hearing, February 6, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

February 10, 2023, 6:13 am

What Matters Now… to MK Simcha Rothman: ‘The people should appoint the judges’

In this second episode of What Matters Now, we speak with the legislator who has written the bills for the proposed judicial overhaul and hear why he thinks they’re not so radical

By Amanda Borschel-Dan

Israelis protest against the government and its planned judicial overhaul, Tel Aviv, January 28, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

February 7, 2023, 6:39 am

In the Knesset and in the streets, the leaders of the Israeli center-left are MIA

Opponents of the judicial overhaul offer no alternative, no vision and no strategy. These are given to a political movement by its leaders, which the center-left doesn’t have

By Haviv Rettig Gur

Nubian ibex on a mountain above the Dead Sea, 2009 (Courtesy Matanya Tausig/Flash90)

January 26, 2023, 1:42 pm

Daily Briefing Jan. 26: Intense month for Knesset; robot helps ibex cross the road

Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren on first 30 days of new government, AI tech for animals, as military reporter Emanuel Fabian discusses spate of East Jerusalem, West Bank attacks

By ToI Staff

Israelis protest against the Israeli government, at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, on January 7, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

January 11, 2023, 1:44 pm

Battle over High Court exposes frailty of Israel’s piecemeal system of government

The center-left’s fears are reasonable, the right’s arguments authentic; both sides should get past the current shrill debate and restructure a broken system of checks and balances

By Haviv Rettig Gur

Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rotיman attends a Knesset Constitution Committee meeting, June 26, 2022. (Olivier FItoussi/Flash90)

January 4, 2023, 7:05 pm

New chair of Knesset law committee: Israel’s Basic Laws are not a constitution

Far-right MK Simcha Rothman, a vocal proponent of curbing judicial authority, argues laws can’t be imbued with quasi-constitutional status without consent of citizens

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

Incoming finance minister Bezalel Smotrich with outgoing finance minister Avigdor Liberman, at the official handover ceremony on January 1, 2023 (Courtesy Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

January 2, 2023, 1:05 pm

Daily Briefing Jan. 2: Tensions on show at handover ceremonies for new ministers

Political correspondent Tal Schneider and military reporter Emanuel Fabian discuss what happened at ministry handovers. Also, a preemptive Israeli strike on a Damascus runway

By ToI Staff

FILE - In this May 12, 2009 file photo, Pope Benedict XVI places a note in the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in Jerusalem's Old City. (AP Photo/David Silverman, Pool)

January 1, 2023, 1:38 pm

Daily Briefing Jan 1: Benedict XVI’s legacy for Jews & PM Netanyahu’s new government

Lazar Berman on Friday’s UN General Assembly vote, president’s annual interfaith event; Carrie Keller-Lynn on what’s precedent-setting in Israel’s 37th government

By ToI Staff

Likud Head MK Benjamin Netanyahu surrounded by MKs after a vote for the new Knesset speaker at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on December 13, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

December 22, 2022, 9:49 am

Hanukkah miracle or government of darkness: Lawmakers react to coalition declaration

Likud’s Barkat hails ‘stable’ government; Lapid: ‘Most extreme government ever’; Liberman: It’ll bring a halachic state, gender segregation; Yesh Atid MK: Allies distrust Netanyahu

By ToI Staff

Likud leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with his expected defense minister Yoav Gallant in the Knesset on December 20, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

December 20, 2022, 6:19 pm

Knesset freezes votes until Monday, giving Netanyahu more time to swear in coalition

Lawmakers nix this week’s remaining plenum sessions, meaning government can be sworn in as late as January 2; Netanyahu still must tell Herzog he’s formed a coalition by Wednesday

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu (center) and Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir talk at the swearing-in ceremony of the 25th Knesset, November 15, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/ Flash90)

December 19, 2022, 7:12 pm

New Knesset passes its first law, meant to thwart potential internal Likud rebellion

Law cancels provision that let 4 MKs split off from their party without consequence; legislative blitz to continue Tuesday, with votes on bills aimed at meeting allies’ demands

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

Likud leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu, center, with Shas leader MK Aryeh Deri, left, and Religious Zionism head MK Bezalel Smotrich at a swearing-in ceremony of the 25th Knesset, at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, November 15, 2022.(Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

December 7, 2022, 3:54 pm

Likud readies for fight against clock to pass contentious bills needed for coalition

Netanyahu’s party to form 2 Knesset committees aimed at fast-tracking controversial legislative blitz to let convicted Deri be minister, hand far-right ministers wider powers

By Michael Bachner

Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar arrives at a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on May 22, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

December 6, 2022, 11:14 am

‘It’s deception’: Sa’ar urges Herzog to let Netanyahu’s mandate expire

Outgoing justice minister claims incoming government has been finalized, prospective PM only seeking extension in order to pass ‘problematic’ legislation

By Michael Bachner