President of Israel’s Supreme Court attacks judicial changes

By TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The chief justice of Israel’s Supreme Court has sharply attacked the sweeping changes to the country’s justice system planned by the new conservative government, lending her voice to a growing outcry against the proposed overhaul. Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut on Thursday fired off sharp rhetoric at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new justice minister, Yariv Levin. She says his proposed changes would amount to an “unbridled attack on the justice system.” The announced judicial changes have spurred a surge of resistance. Seven former attorneys general who have served in the post throughout the last five decades also spoke out against the overhaul on Thursday, signing a letter of protest along with four senior legal officials.