The Guardian also reports that Yariv Levin, a confidant of Netanyahu’s and a longtime critic of the supreme court, presented plans a day before the justices debate a new law passed by the government allowing a politician convicted of tax offences to serve as a cabinet minister. “The time has come to act,” Levin said. Judicial reform changes are also reported on in the Financial Times, the BBC and Reuters. Reuters reports that Netanyahu’s new government unveiled a plan on Wednesday that would allow parliament to overturn some Supreme Court rulings and grant the government more say in nominations to the bench. Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s announcement had been expected and appeared likely to raise concerns at home and abroad for Israel’s democratic health while sharpening feuding with the centre-left opposition in the Knesset.

Reuters also publishes a long read, saying “Israel’s sharp tilt to what is likely to be the most hard right government in its history puts its new Arab allies in the awkward position of having to deal with ultra-nationalists while trying to do more than just pay lip service to the Palestinian cause. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, sworn in last week, includes hardcore rightist parties who want to annex occupied West Bank land where Palestinians have long sought to establish an independent state”.

The BBC reports that Israeli and Palestinian envoys have traded accusations at a UN meeting over an Israeli minister’s visit to a contested holy site in Jerusalem. The Palestinian ambassador said Israel displayed “absolute contempt” for the international community, and demanded the UN act. His Israeli counterpart accused the Palestinians of mounting “a poisonous campaign” to erase Jewish history.

The BBC also reports that the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner held by Israel has been released after 40 years in jail. Karim Younis was convicted in 1983 of the kidnapping and murder of an Israeli soldier, Avi Bromberg. He was later greeted by relatives and friends in his home village of Ara, in northern Israel.
Maariv publishes a long interview with previous Prime Minister Yair Lapid. Amongst his answers, Lapid says he doesn’t not believe he misread the public mood during the election, and that “Yesh Atid did its part in this election. We went up to 24 seats, we’re a ruling party, we behave and think like a ruling party, we got results. I don’t have the patience to blame other parties, and definitely not to blame the voters”. On the Government and its actions, Lapid said “they’re [the Government] playing some kind of political game with the most extreme actors in Israeli society. This cannot end well. What’s even more troubling is that Netanyahu knows this, he knows it’s dangerous. He doesn’t have the power. He’s too weak vis-à-vis his partners, so he doesn’t have the power to prevent it.” Lapid said he predicts the next election to be held next year, in 2024.

Kan Radio reports on the UN Security Council discussing the situation on the Temple Mount yesterday following Itamar Ben Gvir’s visit. The United States informed Israel ahead of time that it would veto any resolution to condemn it. No vote was held and the Security Council did not issue a joint declaration. Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said that if “the Security Council did not stop Ben Gvir and Netanyahu, the Palestinian people would”. Kan Radio also reports that a civilian security guard came under fire in the settlement of Har Bracha in Samaria last night. The guard was unharmed and returned fire in the direction of the gunshots. The Lion’s Den has claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Haaretz publishes a piece on Amichai Chikli, who announced during his swearing-in ceremony Monday that his ministry was changing its name from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs to the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and the Struggle Against Antisemitism. “The name change is a sign that Chikli could plan to focus on the problems of the Diaspora more than his predecessors, who have focused largely on promoting Israel to Diaspora Jews”. He vaulted into prominence within Israel last year when he became the first member of the Knesset to break with then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett over Bennett’s decision to form an alliance with left-wing and Arab parties. Haaretz reports that, “unlike some of his colleagues in the new government, Chikli says he believes there should be a space for egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall, a priority for many Diaspora Jews”.

Yediot Ahronot reports on the speculation that Yariv Levin’s presentation was meant to intimidate the judges, saying “There are some who believe that he was presenting not in order to make the justices approve Deri’s appointment, but to anger them and make them disqualify him in order to aggravate the clash between the government and the High Court of Justice and to improve the odds that he’ll get more of a tailwind to continue with his extreme program.” Ynet adds that “we are observing is a shameless onslaught on the judicial system. Levin calls for a series of sweeping changes aimed at curbing the powers of the judiciary, including by allowing lawmakers to pass laws that the High Court has struck down and effectively deemed unconstitutional”. Maariv, describes Levin’s plan as a “coup by force… If Levin’s plans are realised, Israel will be the only democracy in the world in which there is no judicial review over the arbitrariness or tyranny of the government and the administrative system.” .

Walla reports that Defense Minister Yoav Galant spoke on the telephone earlier this week with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and said that Israel is committed to “doing everything in its power to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon”. The defense minister also said that the “international community needs to enlist and to join that effort”. Austin said that Israel must refrain from policies that “undermine security and stability in the West Bank”.