Overview
- At a faction meeting on Monday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called Supreme Court President Isaac Amit a “violent, ruthless, megalomaniac” and said “the result will be that we will run him over.”
- On Tuesday, Smotrich said he stands by his remarks and declined to apologize, repeating his criticism of the court.
- The judiciary issued an official response saying his comments were intended solely to fuel violent and inciting rhetoric against the judiciary and its head.
- In a radio interview, Smotrich argued the court is stripping authority from the elected government, citing interventions regarding Galei Tzahal and the civil service commissioner appointment.
- The confrontation underscores intensifying right-wing attacks on the court, with an on-air dispute over the wording and meaning of Smotrich's remarks highlighting the depth of the rift.