The Israeli Supreme Court has ordered Minister of Justice Yariv Levin to hold elections for Supreme Court President in the Judicial Selection Committee by January 16th.
With their decision, Judges Yael Willner, Ofer Grosskopf, and Alex Stein denied the petition for contempt of court.
"The Justice Minister's actions so far do not enact the principle decision in the ruling to require the appointment of a Supreme Court President," the judges stated.
"We find it correct to clarify the ruling's operative instructions in a way that would remove any doubt regarding the Justice Minister's duties. Considering the reasonable amount of time needed, to our estimates, to allow the Judicial Selection Committee to discuss the issue," they added.
Minister Levin responded to the order: "The illegal and shameful order that was issued by the Supreme Court today, which amazingly, was passed just minutes after Judge Yitzhak Amit's rant, is the essence of the loss of way, disconnect, and trampling by an extreme handful that allows itself to do so because it thinks it can."
Earlier in the day, Minister Levin announced during a session of the Judicial Selection Committee that if not for the war, he would have advanced a different judicial selection law. The session was very tense, and the Supreme Court justices walked out in protest after Levin brought in outside professionals in contrast with regular practice.