Interim Supreme Court Chief Justice Isaac Amit was officially appointed permanent chief justice in a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Thursday, amid unprecedented tension between the government and the Supreme Court.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana all boycotted the event. Levin said last month that he did not recognize Amit’s position, since he was forced to hold a vote against his wishes, and due to what he argued was a lack of due process over allegations that Amit had ruled in cases in which he had a conflict of interest.
Following the retirement of chief justice Esther Hayut in October 2023, Levin refrained from appointing her replacement. In September 2024, the High Court ruled that Levin had to enable the appointment of a chief justice and that he did not have the authority to postpone the position indefinitely. Levin did not do so, and the court in December ordered him to convene the Judicial Selection Committee to hold the election by January 16. It eventually gave Levin a 10-day extension, and Amit was elected chief justice on January 26.
Ohana, who as leader of the legislative branch is considered a symbol of state, criticized the appointment, calling the election process “crooked.” He eventually announced he would boycott the ceremony at the President’s Residence, alongside Netanyahu and Levin.
Amit stressed importance of judicial branch's institutional independence in speech
In his speech, Amit stressed the importance of the judicial branch’s institutional independence.
“The judiciary is an essential component in the tripartite system of government,” Amit said. “It does not stand above the other branches but operates alongside them, as an equal partner in the democratic framework of checks and balances. The role of the judiciary in this framework is to uphold the rule of law and protect individual rights from unlawful harm, whether from other individuals or from the government.
“In this way, the court acts as a public trustee, and it is loyal to the public – and to the public alone. Therefore, the core of judicial independence must be preserved at all costs, which is the authority and duty to rule without dependency, without external influences, without fear, and without authority, except for the authority of the law,” Amit said.
“It is no secret that the dialogue between the three branches of government in Israel has experienced ups and downs over the years – but it must be remembered that the democratic institutions in the country do not exist for themselves, but for the public and for its sake,” Amit said.
“Our duty to the public is to strengthen and improve the respectful and stately dialogue between the branches. On behalf of the judiciary, I say that we are ready for dialogue, conversation, and substantive cooperation that places the public and service to the citizen at the forefront – and I hope that in this context, we will meet a supportive hand.
“Once again, I call on the justice minister to hold the regular work meetings that have always been customary between the justice minister and the Supreme Court chief justice as required so that the citizens and residents of the country continue to receive quality and efficient service from the court system,” Amit said.The newly appointed chief justice held back tears when talking about his parents, Holocaust survivors who ran a small restaurant in Jaffa.
President Isaac Herzog, in his speech, criticized Netanyahu and Ohana for their choice to boycott the ceremony, but also called on the judicial branch of government to do more to hear critical voices in the public.
“I am deeply saddened that the leaderships of the executive branch and the legislative branch are not here with us today as they should and are expected to be,” Herzog said. “In a democratic country, where stateliness is a guiding principle, there is no place for one branch to boycott another; there is no place for turning the law and custom into a tool for political or public struggles; and certainly, there is no place for the disqualification of the chief justice of the Supreme Court, who was elected to his position according to the law and all legal instructions.
“It must be said honestly: the crisis that Israeli society is in today is real and deep. There are millions of citizens in Israel who are worried about losing the character of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel. They fear that the delicate balance between the authorities is being eroded in favor of the executive branch and that human and civil rights are no longer protected from the power of the majority,” Herzog said.
“Alongside them, there are millions of citizens in Israel who are also worried about losing the character of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel. They fear that the delicate balance between the authorities is being eroded in favor of the judicial branch, which is disconnected from them, ‘robbing’ them of their choice and their status as the majority, sometimes ruling on the person rather than the matter, and not representing the population in all its diversity. They claim, and with considerable justification, that there are seventy facets to the law, but these are not currently adequately expressed in the Israeli legal system.
“I call upon you – the leadership of the judicial system – and say: these voices have meaning. These criticisms have a place. These pains must be expressed. We must listen to them attentively, be open to them, understand them, internalize them, and meet them – in the deep sense of the word – with an open heart. With a willing spirit,” Herzog said.
“I address the leaders of all branches of government—the legislative, executive, and judicial – and their representatives. Let us ensure that this significant occasion, marking the end of a prolonged and troubling period without a permanent appointment to head Israel’s judiciary, signals the beginning of an era of cooperation and dialogue between the branches. May this moment usher in a national spirit of goodwill—an era of outreach, moderation, and broad consensus-building,” the president said.
“It is time for in-depth public discussions on the most fundamental issues impacting the branches of government and Israeli democracy. It is time for agreements. I pledge to you—I will not rest, I will not be silent, and I will not be deterred in the effort to achieve such agreements. In the effort to rebuild a shared foundation for all of us after a period of great division,” Herzog said.
Former interim chief Justice Uzi Vogelman also criticized the prime minister and Knesset speaker for boycotting the ceremony. Contrary to Herzog, who indicated that both the judicial branch and the other branches were responsible for overcoming the crisis, Vogelman said that the judicial branch’s door had always been open – and that Israeli democracy could not tolerate attempts to negatively affect the judicial branch’s independence.
Vogelman expressed his opposition to a current bill proposal to give politicians more power in the committee responsible for appointing judges. Judgment was not a popularity contest, Vogelman said, and judges should not have to answer to politicians.