Ministers pan court review of recusal law: ‘A discussion on nixing election results’

Coalition ministers slammed the High Court of Justice on Thursday as it held a hearing on legislation passed in March protecting the prime minister from being forced out of office, saying the justices were undermining the country’s democracy merely by agreeing to review the matter.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin argued in a statement that the hearing on petitions against the government’s recusal law “is de facto a discussion of whether to cancel the election results.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the court session “illegitimate” while his fellow far-right Religious Zionism party member MK Simcha Rothman labeled the hearing “an extreme act.”

Anti-government protesters hit back, accusing Levin of mob-like behavior. Four people were arrested during a demonstration near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence. READ MORE