以色列政府违抗最高法院，宪法危机加剧

S DISSOLVED, PAVING THE WAY FOR OCTOBER ELECTIONS. AND THE COUNTRY'S LONGEST-SERVING LEADER IS BRACING FOR ONE OF HIS TOUGHEST EVER REELECTION FIGHTS. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU FACES QUESTIONS OVER HIS LEADERSHIP DURING AND SINCE THE OCTOBER 7 HAMAS ATTACKS. THAT INCLUDES QUESTIONS ABOUT A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS PITTING HIS GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE JUDICIARY. PRODUCER KARL BOSTIC IN TEL AVIV REPORTS WITH NICK SCHIFRIN. NICK: IN ISRAEL, DISSENT IS BOILING.

HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS FILLED TEL AVIV SQUARE TO VOICE THEIR DISDAIN FOR LEADER THEY ARGUE WAS CORRUPTING ISRAEL'S DEMOCRACY AND MISLEADING HIS OWN PEOPLE.

THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT ABOVE THE LAW. WE ARE ALL EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW. ALL OF US HAVE TO DO WHAT THE COURT SAYS EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE. NICK: EARLIER THIS MONTH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ISRAELI HISTORY, NETANYAHU'S PARTY SAID HER DECISION BY ISRAEL SUPREME COURT COULD BE IGNORED. THE CASE WAS ABOUT THE SALE OF A NEWS CHANNEL TO NETANYAHU'S CRITICS. BUT RETIRED SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ARGUES THE CASE IS REALLY ABOUT DEMOCRACY,RETIRED'Y ENGAGE IN PUBLIC CRITICISM.

A COUNTRY IN WHICH A GOVERNING AUTHORITY TAKES A LAW INTO ITS OWN HANDSS A COUNTRY WHERE THE SEEDS OF DISORDER AND ANARCHY ARE SOWN.

WE CANNOT STICK TO ORIGINAL ETHICS WENT THE COUNTRY IS BURNING AND COLLAPSING. NICK: AN ISRAELI HIGH COURT JUSTICE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, SHE WORRIES ISRAEL IS ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE OF DEMOCRATIC BACKSLIDING.

THE ANTIDEMOCRATIC ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEGUN THREE YEARS AGO AND HAVE ESCALATED MORE AND MORE AND MORE, REACHING THE PEAK OF THE BREAKAGE OF OUR DEMOCRACY. IT IS AN ATTACK AGAINST THE SUPREME COURT, ACTUALLY WEAKENING THE GATEKEEPERS OF THE GOVERNMENT. NICK: SINCE 2023, NETANYAHU HAS TRIED TO OVERHAUL ISRAEL'S JUDICIARY, PASSING LEGISLATION TO ALLOW THE RULING COALITION TO HAVE MORE INFLUENCE IN PICKING JUDGES, INCLUDING ON THE SUPREME COURT.

AND TRYING BUT PROHI FAILING TO PROHIBIT A DOCTRINE TO ALLOW IT UNREASONABLE.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE FACING SUCH A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS. NICK: THE FOUNDER OF THE QUALITY OF GOVERNMENT MOVEMENT. A CIVIL WATCHDOG BUT ADVOCATES FOR GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY, AND HIMSELF A FORMER LIKUD OFFICIAL.

MR. NETANYAHU ESCAPING FROM JUSTICE AT LEAST 50 TIMES. JUST TO ADOPT THE SYSTEM TO HIS NEEDS. HEIS POLITICAL AND LEGAL NEEDS JUST TO REMAIN IN POWER, AND JUST TO ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE. NICK: IN THREE MONTHS, NETANYAHU FACES AN ELECTION THAT HIS AIDES ADMIT HE MIGHT LOSE.

HE WANTS TO TAKE CONTROL ON ALL THE MEDIA IN ISRAEL, BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE PEOPLE. ESPECIALLY BEFORE THE ELECTION. AND IF HE WOULD LOSE, HE WON'T GET THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION. AND WE WILL FACE WHAT YOU GUYS FACED IN AMERICA IN JANUARY 6. NICK: THE COURT'S CRITICS AND ADVOCATES FOR JUDICIAL REFORM HAVE LONG CALLED IT OUT OF CONTROL.

IF YOU GO BACK 25, 30 YEARS, YOU WOULD HAVE A SUPREME COURT EXERCISING ITS RIGHT OF JUDICIAL REVIEW OF OVERTURNING A LAW ONCE EVERY TWO OR THREE YEARS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU ARE GETTING A TWO TIMES A YEAR, THE