Opposition figures in Israel expressed strong concerns on Monday about the government’s decision to defy a High Court of Justice ruling over the composition of the Second Authority Council, warning it signals a broader attempt to undermine the integrity of the upcoming general elections.
Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition Together Party and former prime minister, said during a Knesset press conference that the government’s unanimous declaration to reject the court’s decision is part of a deliberate strategy by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to “steal” or “rig” the elections. He cautioned that the move raised the risk of a constitutional crisis by refusing to recognize decisions of the council, which oversees important regulatory functions.
Lapid argued that the government’s ultimate goal is to enter the elections without judicial oversight. “They keep saying that the court is not the body that determines what the law is, so that we become accustomed to the idea,” he said. He further warned that without an independent judiciary, the government could postpone elections under false pretenses or refuse to accept unfavorable results, leaving no legal recourse to challenge such actions.
Other opposition leaders echoed these concerns. Yair Golan, head of the Democrats party, described the government’s stance as a “dress rehearsal” for a potentially more dangerous refusal to acknowledge the will of the electorate. Golan also criticized the emergence of a right-wing faction informally known as “Likud B,” reportedly involving former Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan, Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel. He characterized these satellite parties as extensions of Likud that could enable Netanyahu to maintain power, warning voters against supporting them.
Golan stressed the significance of the upcoming elections in determining Israel’s future and outlined the Democrats’ commitment to blocking any coalition involving parties linked to what he referred to as the “October 7 coalition,” referencing the national trauma tied to a recent militant attack.
Meanwhile, Yisrael Beytenu leader MK Avigdor Liberman did not rule out joining a future coalition with Likud if Netanyahu were no longer its leader. However, Liberman insisted that Netanyahu must be held accountable for his role in the security failures leading up to the October 7 attack and ruled him out from any future government participation. He called for a “Zionist and state-oriented coalition” and criticized the current government’s rapid legislative agenda, accusing it of encouraging draft evasion amid a severe manpower shortage in the Israel Defense Forces.
Liberman warned that Israel’s security situation remains dire, worse than before the October 7 attack, and emphasized the need to replace the government to restore military strength and national security.
Israel’s next general elections are scheduled to take place by October 27, setting the stage for a critical contest amid ongoing political turbulence and security concerns.