Supreme Court president: Fake news, incitement against judges threaten rule of law

Supreme Court President Isaac Amit issued a stark warning Monday, stating that public discourse concerning Israel's judiciary has plummeted to an "unprecedented low." He highlighted that the normalization of incitement, fake news, and personal attacks against judges poses a direct threat to the judicial system's ability to function and public trust in the rule of law.

Speaking at the Israel Bar Association's annual conference, Amit elaborated on the dangers, noting that the erosion of the boundary between fact and falsehood is particularly concerning. He stated that when judges fear answering calls from unknown numbers due to threats and harassment, it serves as a "red warning light for Israeli democracy." These attacks, he argued, are not merely personal affronts but a direct assault on judicial independence and the integrity of the legal system.

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The public discourse regarding the judicial system is at an unprecedented low point. We are witnessing a dangerous process of normalization - normalization of incitement, of defamation, of the spread of fake news and of personal attacks on judges.

Amit's address occurred amidst a heated dispute between the judiciary and Justice Minister Yariv Levin. This conflict intensified after the High Court of Justice ordered Levin to convene the Judicial Selection Committee to fill vacancies, criticizing his prolonged refusal to do so. Levin, in turn, rejected the court's order, labeling it illegal and accusing the justices of creating a constitutional crisis. The court has mandated Levin to publish candidate lists by June 8, initiating a required 45-day period before the committee can vote.

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When judges are afraid to answer the phone for fear of threats and harassment, that is a red warning light for Israeli democracy. The incitement, fake news, and personal attacks on the judicial system no longer remain in the public sphere - they seep into the personal lives of judges and threaten their independence and the rule of law as a whole.