CNN reports:

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to say if he would abide by any potential Supreme Court ruling striking down his controversial judicial reform law, as Israelis agonize over a looming showdown between their government and the court.

In an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Netanyhu warned that the country could enter “uncharted territory” if the Supreme Court overturned the law, which strips the court of its power to block government actions.

“What you’re talking about is a situation, or potential situation, where in American terms, the United States’ Supreme Court would take a constitutional amendment and say that it’s unconstitutional, Netanyahu said. “That’s the kind of the kind of spiral that you’re talking about, and I hope we don’t get to that.”

The so-called “reasonableness” law is an amendment to one of Israel’s Basic Laws, which exist in place of a formal constitution. It passed the Knesset on Monday despite six months of protests and rare public criticism from the White House. It is the first stage in a wider package of measures that critics say will undermine democracy in Israel by weakening the judiciary’s ability to hold politicians in check.

The Supreme Court has said that it will hear appeals against the law in September.

Benny Gantz, the leader of Israel’s opposition National Unity party warned that if Netanyahu ignored an adverse ruling from the country’s top court, it would amount to a coup. [Continue reading…]