Articles

The Israeli government's current efforts to dismiss the head of the director of the Shin Bet and the Attorney General, alongside its attempt to restructure the Judicial Selection Committee, reflect a broader shift toward subordinating legal and security institutions to political authority, raising concerns about the erosion of the rule of law and the future of democratic governance in Israel.

On March 20, 2025, Israel’s government voted in favor of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to dismiss Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet, citing "growing distrust" in the security chief. The following document answers key legal questions around this announcement.

Amidst the return to fighting in Gaza, the Minister of Justice is taking advantage of the public's eye being off the ball to hastily overhaul Israel's judicial system.

The amendment to the Immunity Law proposed by MK Tally Gotliv would allow MKs to grant themselves immunity from criminal and civil prosecution, undermining equality before the law and creating inherent conflicts of interest that disproportionately protect coalition members from accountability.

On March 16, 2025, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced his intention to bring the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the head of the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), Israel's internal security service, to a vote of the full cabinet. Though not a perfect comparison, the Shin Bet is often seen as comparable to the FBI in the US.  

Many in Israel have watched Elon Musk's DOGE department and advocated for implementing the same approach in Israel. However, the model should be attuned to Israeli needs, including reducing the inflated number of government ministries and curbing wasteful budget allocations, such as the coalitionary funds.

Meir Porush, Minister of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, established a hotline advising yeshiva students to evade mandatory military conscription. Haredi leaders have been maintaining conflicting roles as state officials and acting community activists.

Around half of Israelis think that it's unlikely that President Trump will turn away from Israel, if he thinks its policies are not aligned with US interests, while close to 40% think chances are fairly high or high; 73% of the total sample support continuing with the second stage of the hostage agreement and securing the release of all the hostages.

In just over a decade, Israel’s score in the report published by Freedom House has fallen by 8 points, a decline that now puts it alongside countries such as Brazil and Namibia.

A survey on women's representation conducted among men and women in Israel. Findings show that most (65%) consider equal representation when deciding on which party to vote for; 71% think the number of women in the Knesset, the government and in senior positions should be increased. 

The incoming Commander-in-Chief of the IDF, Major General Eyal Zamir, faces a number of challenges as he takes up his role beyond the security of Israel. He must integrate the ultra-Orthodox, uphold the IDF's ethical values, and restore public trust in its senior command to preserve the military's identity as the 'people's army.' 

Against the backdrop of the proposed government decision that is meant to begin the process of dismissing the attorney general, this paper describes the procedure that has been laid down for this step and explains why a decision by the Netanyahu government to fire the attorney general at the current time would be legally invalid.

An analysis and international comparison of women's representation in the Israeli political arena. 

The battle over Israel’s legal system has resumed, threatening judicial independence.

Changes in the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee threaten the independence of the judicial system. The current proposals would lead to a complete politicization of appointments to all courts and should be blocked. 

A special analysis of the situation among evacuees from the north and south of Israel, based on an extensive survey conducted among a nationally representative sample of workers who were in employment immediately before the outbreak of the Iron Swords war.

Crime in Arab society has seen an unprecedented surge in the past couple of years posing a threat to Israeli society as a whole. What's needed is a real political commitment to the issue, making it clear to criminals that they face the entire state and society. 

The proposed bill, which would change the selection process of the Ombudsman - responsible for investigating complaints about the conduct of judges and religious court judges - aims to intimidate judges and undermine their independence.

An analysis of the potential voting patterns for future elections, voter transitions between parties, and an exploration of the potential electoral power of the Democrats party in upcoming elections. 

IDI's Dr. Guy Lurie explains the far-reaching implications of non-cooperation between the two leaders of Israel's judiciary.
"It's the everyday citizens who are sure to pay the price."

Dr. Guy Lurie, a Research Fellow at IDI's Democratic Values and Institutions Program, offers a breakdown on the risks of politicization inherent in the recent proposal by Minister of Justice Levin and Foreign Minister Sa'ar to reform the Judicial Selection Committee.

This survey is the second in series taken since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War assessing the financial impact of the war on the Israeli workforce. 

The Knesset, Israel's parliament, marks 76 years today. Over the decades, it has shaped the nation's laws, policies, and political landscape, evolving alongside Israel and the modern world. How much do you know about the Knesset and its history? Test your knowledge. 

Defense Minister Katz recent demand that the IDF Chief of Staff reprimand the Chief of the IDF Intelligence Directorate for presenting the possible security implications of the "Trump plan" for Gaza is the latest in several steps that threaten to politicize Israel's national security agencies, a process that could be disastrous for the country.

More Israelis (43%) think Hamas' interests have been served better in the first stage of the ceasefire agreement than Israel's (21%); however, a majority still supports proceeding to the next stage (70%) if the first stage is completed as agreed; a vast majority of Israelis (72.5%) think the ceasefire agreement was achieved thanks to President Trump's intervention.

Israel must not squander its opportunity for much needed renewal, but first the people need to weigh in and choose a consensual mechanism of constitutional reform

A majority of Israelis think there is a fair or high chance President Trump will exert pressure on Israel if the government in Israel does not align with his initiatives in the Middle East; A large majority (72.5%) also think the release of the hostages was achieved thanks to his intervention.

Following Justice Isaac Amit's selection as Supreme Court President, Minister of Justice Levin immediately declared he would refrain from any collaboration between them, describing the selection process as unlawful. This announcement is both factually incorrect and a serious dereliction of his duties. 

The lack of cooperation between the Minister of Justice and the President of the Supreme Court has numerous consequences that will, among other things, harm the services provided by the judiciary to the citizens of Israel.