Beinish: Court has crucial role in restraining army

"The court holds a role that is important like no other in restraining the use of military force and guarding against the unnecessary use of it," Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish said on Thursday at a conference marking 60 years of public law in Israel.

Beinish also addressed the fear citizens are feeling in light of the most recent wave of rampant crime, saying that the public expects all those charged with the enforcement of the law to deal with the situation.

She had harsh words for the government, saying that "the executive branch does not honor the court's rulings and does not even honor its own decisions." Beinish noted the criticism handed down by High Court judges regarding the state's evasion of the verdict ordering it to terminate an education budget allocation system ruled discriminatory against Israel's Arab population.

Two of Beinish's predecessors also addressed the conference. Meir Shamgar slammed the torrent of plea bargains seen in the courts. "The court has no say in these things… and the results are not good.

Bargains are for merchants, but those who want to uproot criminal phenomena must understand that the rule of law will not grow from plea bargains," said Shamgar.

Aharon Barak on his part, insisted the time has come to complete the work on Israel's constitution. Barak also lashed out against Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, saying it "is unfitting for a justice minister to have a say in the shuffling of judges, appoints of judges or matters pertaining to the courts system."

He also criticized Friedmann's position as chairman of the committee charged with appointing judges.