'Democracy Under Threat?' Netanyahu Government Rejects Top Court Ruling

Kyiv: A major constitutional dispute has emerged in Israeli politics. For the first time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has refused to officially accept the Supreme Court order. The matter is related to the Media Regulatory Council, regarding which the government and the judiciary have come face to face. The opposition and legal experts have called it a serious challenge to the democratic system.

What is the whole matter?

The controversy started when the Supreme Court put a stay on the process of setting up a new council of media regulators by the government. The court directed that the existing council should continue its work. The court believed that there could be a possibility of political pressure behind the removal of some council members.

However, the government refused to accept this decision of the court.

What did the government say?

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin issued a joint statement saying the court has no authority to make or change laws. He says that if any decision is contrary to the law, the government will not implement it and the decisions taken on its basis will also not be recognised.

The government also argued that the Media Regulatory Council does not have the required legal strength, hence its decisions cannot be considered valid.

Why did the opposition express concern?

After the government's decision, opposition parties and constitutional experts have reacted sharply. Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon warned that if the government began to obey or disobey court orders as per its convenience, it would undermine the foundation of the rule of law.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also said that disobeying court orders could create chaos in the country and would weaken people's trust in democratic institutions.

אי ציות לפסיקת בית משפט מביא לאנרכיה ברחובות ולפירוקה של המדינה שלנו.

בקרוב נתקן הכל.
יהיה חוק אחד לכולם.

— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) July 5, 2026

Were questions raised on democracy and freedom of press?

Democrats Party leader Yair Golan alleged that the government wants to reduce the power of the judiciary before the elections. According to him, if ignoring court orders becomes a common thing then questions may be raised on the election results in future.

Journalist organisations and pro-democracy groups have also criticised the government's move. He says that this is not just an issue of media regulation but a matter related to the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press and rule of law.