Netanyahu government declares it will defy the Israeli Supreme Court ruling, triggering a constitutional crisis

Jul 5, 2026

In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet approved a resolution on July 5, 2026, to defy a Supreme Court order regarding the Second Authority media regulator. The decision, spearheaded by Shlomo Karhi and Yariv Levin, marks the first time an Israeli government has openly rejected a High Court ruling, triggering a major constitutional crisis. While the government argues the court overstepped its statutory authority, President Isaac Herzog and opposition leaders like Yair Lapid have condemned the move as an unlawful assault on democracy that crosses a critical red line.

Government defiance of court ruling

▪The resolution marks the first time an Israeli government has committed to openly defying a ruling of the country's highest court.
▪The Israeli cabinet approved a resolution on July 5, 2026, declaring it will ignore a Supreme Court order regarding the country's commercial broadcasting regulator.

Second Authority quorum dispute

▪Six members of the Second Authority council resigned following a May 2026 court freeze, which the High Court suspected was a coordinated effort to thwart its judicial review.
▪Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin proposed the cabinet resolution, arguing the High Court overstepped its powers and violated the separation of powers.
▪The Israeli Supreme Court ruled in June 2026 that the Council of the Second Authority must continue operating despite falling below its statutory two-thirds quorum.

Channel 13 acquisition controversy

▪Journalists and watchdog groups allege Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi exerted political influence over the Second Authority council to block the Channel 13 acquisition.
▪The dispute over the Second Authority's membership centers on the pending approval of a buyout of Channel 13 by high-tech entrepreneurs.
▪Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in March 2026 to appoint Yifat Ben Hai Segev as council chair, which the Attorney General stated violated Netanyahu's conflict of interest agreement.

Opposition leader condemnations

▪Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declared that a government refusing to accept High Court rulings becomes an unlawful government whose decisions the opposition will not accept.
▪Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Yashar Party chief Gadi Eisenkot condemned the cabinet's declaration as a dangerous breach of trust and an assault on Israeli democracy.

Presidential red line warning

▪Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned on July 5, 2026, that noncompliance with a Supreme Court ruling is a red line that must not be crossed.
▪President Isaac Herzog stated that public calls for noncompliance with High Court rulings strike at the heart of the nation's unity.

Karhi media control efforts

▪Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has pursued persistent efforts to exert greater political control over broadcast media regulation and reduce the independence of the Kan public broadcaster.
▪Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi is spearheading a communications reform bill that seeks to restructure Israel's broadcasting oversight system, starting with the Second Authority.