Israeli government passes controversial laws weakening the judiciary and the attorney general's powers ahead of the October election

Ahead of Israel's October 27, 2026, election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition passed a controversial law on July 15, 2026, voting 65-51 to strip the attorney general of binding authority over government decisions. The move, alongside laws securing military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, aims to cement Netanyahu's right-wing alliance. Opposition figures like Gadi Eisenkot and legal experts warn the measures dismantle the rule of law, prompting immediate High Court petitions.

Attorney general powers legislation

• ▪The Israeli Knesset voted 65-51 on July 15, 2026, to pass a law that significantly weakens the powers of the attorney general
• ▪The new legislation, scheduled to take effect in January 2027, strips the attorney general of authority over the government by allowing ministers to reject the attorney general's binding legal positions
• ▪The legislation grants the governing coalition control over appointing and dismissing the attorney general, replacing a system guided by an independent public committee
• ▪The coalition removed provisions from the bill that would have stripped the attorney general of the authority to indict senior elected officials, promising to pursue them if reelected

Ultra-Orthodox coalition demands

• ▪United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni secured NIS 39 million in additional funding for Haredi daycare teachers in exchange for supporting the attorney general legislation
• ▪The Knesset passed a law freezing the arrest of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, which was subsequently frozen by the High Court of Justice on July 15, 2026
• ▪The Knesset passed a bill designating Torah study as a fundamental constitutional value of the state to perpetuate mass ultra-Orthodox military exemptions

Judicial overhaul campaign context

• ▪Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as Benjamin Netanyahu's main rival and has taken a lead in the election polls
• ▪Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition is advancing these legislative measures to shore up support from ultra-Orthodox allies ahead of the October 27, 2026, general election
• ▪The attorney general legislation carries forward a core element of the pre-war 2023 judicial overhaul that sparked widespread public protests in Israel

Opposition criticism

• ▪Democrats chair Yair Golan accused the government of trying to steal the election by removing critical checks on executive power ahead of the October vote
• ▪Yashar chair Gadi Eisenkot denounced the attorney general legislation as a blatant attempt to neutralize Israel's gatekeepers and dismantle the rule of law

Legal expert warnings

• ▪Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara criticized the legislation, warning that it will severely violate and undermine the rule of law in Israel
• ▪Dr. Amir Fuchs of the Israel Democracy Institute warned that the new law removes key tools enabling the attorney general to safeguard the rule of law

High Court petitions

• ▪Democrats MK Gilad Kariv, the Zulat Institute, and a group of former ministers petitioned the High Court of Justice to strike down the new attorney general law
• ▪The High Court of Justice scheduled an urgent hearing to address petitions filed against the law banning the arrest of Haredi draft dodgers