JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Right-wing ministers and lawmakers in Israel sharply criticized the country’s Supreme Court on Tuesday as the court held a hearing into petitions challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authority to appoint a new head of the Shin Bet security service.

“The authority to appoint the head of the Shin Bet lies solely with the Israeli government – not the electricity company, not the water authority, and certainly not the Supreme Court,” far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on his X account.

During the court session, government supporters, including Likud Member of Knesset Tally Gotliv, interrupted the proceedings, shouting “shame.”

According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, the High Court heard petitions questioning whether Netanyahu has the legal right to appoint a new Shin Bet chief or whether his involvement constitutes a conflict of interest.

The session was repeatedly disrupted by applause and chanting from the public gallery, forcing Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit to suspend the hearing three times before ultimately clearing the courtroom and continuing the session behind closed doors.

In his response to the court, Netanyahu insisted that he would not relinquish his authority over the appointment “even for an hour.”

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, however, argued that Netanyahu faces a conflict of interest that legally disqualifies him from making such a decision.

In May, Netanyahu said that he plans to appoint Maj. Gen. David Zini to replace outgoing Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, a move the Supreme Court deemed illegal. The decision sparked public protests and opposition backlash.

Bar stepped down in mid-June following disputes with Netanyahu. In the absence of a formal appointment, the agency’s deputy chief, identified publicly only as “S,” is currently serving in an interim capacity.

The dispute comes as Israel has pursued a deadly war on the Gaza Strip despite international calls for a ceasefire, killing more than 56,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.