Netanyahu accused of contempt of court over role in judicial overhaul

Israel's Supreme Court on Sunday gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a one-week period to respond to a petition accusing him of contempt of court over his support to judicial overhaul.

The petition was filed by the Movement for Quality Government (MQG) citing Netanyahu's violation of a conflict of interest agreement meant to prevent him from involving in legislation related to the judiciary while he is on trial for corruption.

MQG said the Supreme Court had given Netanyahu and the attorney general a week to respond to the petition.

"A prime minister who doesn't obey the court and the provisions of the law is privileged and an anarchist," MQG head Eliad Shraga said.

The development came days after Israeli Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara said Netanyahu's involvement in the judicial overhaul was illegal.

In a letter to the Israeli premier, Baharav-Miara said his planned judicial changes were "tainted by a conflict of interest."

In September 2020, Netanyahu, while assembling his government, signed a conflict of interest agreement that forbids him from making senior law enforcement and judicial appointments or involving himself in associated legislative processes that could influence the outcome of his ongoing corruption trial.

Israel has seen mass protests over the past three months against plans by Netanyahu's government for judicial reform, seen by the opposition as an attempt to reduce the powers of the judicial authority in favor of the executive authority.

However, Netanyahu insists that his judicial plan would enhance democracy and would restore the balance between the legislative, executive, and judicial powers.