Netanyahu gov’t declares it will ignore Israeli Supreme Court order — paving way for constitutional crisis

Key Points:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet approved a resolution to defy the supreme court order blocking new appointments to the media regulator, marking the first open government defiance of Israel’s highest court.
• The supreme court had ruled that the Second Authority for Television and Radio lacked the legal quorum due to government-induced resignations, restoring the previous regulatory body despite concerns over its functionality.
• Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, backed by Netanyahu, argued the court overstepped its authority and vowed not to recognize rulings that contradict the law.
• Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the government’s stance, warning that noncompliance with court rulings threatens national unity and crosses a critical red line.
• The dispute unfolds amid the pending sale of a major commercial TV network and ongoing tensions between Netanyahu’s government and the judiciary, with national elections scheduled for October.