Israel’s government said Sunday it will not recognize decisions made by the Council of the Second Authority, the country’s commercial broadcasting regulator, in defiance of a recent High Court ruling allowing the body to continue operating despite lacking a legal quorum, Anadolu reports.
The Cabinet approved a declaration proposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin stating that the government would not respect decisions, approvals, appointments or actions taken by the council in its current composition, according to The Times of Israel news website.
The move could trigger a constitutional crisis by creating a situation in which the High Court considers the council’s decisions valid while the government refuses to implement them.
In its resolution, the government argued that the court verdict violated provisions of the 1990 law governing the Council of the Second Authority, insisting that “the rule of law obligates all governmental authorities, including the court.”
READ: Israel’s Ben-Gvir to skip UN police summit in New York amid legal pressure: Reports
It further claimed that a court ruling “cannot confer authority that does not exist under the law.”
Last month, Israel’s High Court froze a government decision to alter the composition of the broadcasting council and ruled that it could continue functioning despite several resignations that left it below the required two-thirds quorum.
The court said it suspected the resignations were intended to deliberately paralyze the regulator’s work and undermine an earlier judicial ruling.
It also accused Karhi of orchestrating efforts to obstruct the council’s operations following an interim order issued in May.
The latest standoff adds to growing tensions between Israel’s judiciary and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid wider disputes over judicial authority and governance.
