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Israel\'s Supreme Court (BAGATZ when sitting as High Court of Justice) is one of the most powerful judiciaries in the democratic world. With no formal constitution and minimal procedural barriers, almost any citizen can petition. The 2023 judicial reform crisis was about whether to limit this power. The court vs. Knesset tension is a structural feature, not a bug.
Cultural note, "BAGATZ" (בַּגַ"צ) is the most-used legal acronym in Israeli media. To "go to BAGATZ" (לָלֶכֶת לְבַגַ"צ) means to file a constitutional petition. The court building near Jerusalem\'s government complex is a brutalist cube with a famous cantilevered library, a national landmark. Aharon Barak (chief justice 1995-2006) is a divisive figure: hero to the left, target to the right.
Court Structure
Court Roles
Constitutional Review Vocabulary
The 2023 Judicial Reform Crisis (vocabulary)
Petitioning the Court
Basic Law: Human Dignity & Liberty (1992): Excerpt
The Basic Law that triggered Israel\'s "constitutional revolution" (Bank Mizrahi case, 1995). After this, the court began striking down Knesset legislation. The text is short but consequential.
2023 Judicial Reform Protest Slogans
Real chants from the Saturday-night protests on Kaplan Street, Tel Aviv. Hundreds of thousands attended for 39 consecutive weeks before the war.