Smotrich Attacks Judge Amit: "Violent Megalomaniac"

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday doubled down on his attack against Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, defending remarks in which he vowed to “trample” the judge and described him as a “violent megalomaniac,” comments that sparked sharp condemnation from the judiciary and opposition lawmakers.

Speaking in an interview with Army Radio, Smotrich said he stood by his language and rejected criticism that it amounted to incitement.

“I have no more delicate words to choose from to describe the injustice that Isaac Amit and his colleagues are inflicting on Israeli democracy,” Smotrich said.

The finance minister accused the Supreme Court of “violently trampling and silencing the voice of the majority” and of “stealing the will and freedom of the people of Israel,” escalating his confrontation with the judicial system amid ongoing political tensions over the balance of power between the courts and the government.

Smotrich also referenced the government’s recent decision to shut down Army Radio, a move that was frozen Sunday evening after the Supreme Court issued an interim injunction blocking its implementation.

“We’re speaking on Army Radio, a station that all the chiefs of staff thought should be shut down,” Smotrich said. “The government decided to close it, and now there is an interim injunction issued by the court. This is not democracy.”

The cabinet had unanimously approved Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposal to close the station, a decision critics argued would undermine press freedom and weaken an independent public broadcaster affiliated with the military.

Smotrich further accused Army Radio of attempting to “delegitimize” and “silence” him, even as it hosted him for the interview.

His comments came a day after the Judicial Authority issued an unusually strong rebuke, warning that Smotrich’s rhetoric crossed a dangerous line and risked undermining public trust in the rule of law. Opposition lawmakers also accused the minister of incitement and of deliberately inflaming tensions during a period of heightened political and social strain.

Smotrich has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of the Supreme Court within the government, repeatedly arguing that the judiciary has overstepped its authority and overridden the will of voters. His latest remarks add to a growing series of confrontations between senior ministers and the court, as legal challenges continue to block or delay key government initiatives.

No disciplinary action has been announced in response to Smotrich’s comments, and coalition leaders have so far avoided publicly distancing themselves from his remarks.