Basic Law

Netanyahu races to pass key laws as Israel’s October 27 election campaign begins

With Israel’s election set for October 27, this week's Deep Dive dives into why Likud is racing to pass key laws as haredi demands, military manpower concerns, and Eisenkot’s rise reshape the campaign

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara Netanyahu, and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu attend a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Atarot Heritage Center in northern Jerusalem, July 5, 2026.
Milwaukee Jews march in the community's annual Walk for Israel, part of the federation's celebrations for Israel's independence day.

Fixing the blurred line between Judaism and religion - opinion

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Knesset vote on a bill to freeze arrests of haredi draft evaders, in Jerusalem, July 14, 2026

Knesset votes to freeze arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders amid IDF manpower crisis

MK Yitzhak Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism) attends a House committee meeting at the Knesset, July 12, 2026.

Knesset passes contentious haredi-backed bill to enshrine Torah study in Israel's Basic Law


What is in Herzog’s judicial reform ‘People’s Outline?’ - explainer

President Isaac Herzog presented his judicial reform outline on Wednesday night

The High Court of Justice during a hearing

'Deri Law 2.0' passes committee vote, heads to plenum for first reading

The law proposal's purpose is to enable Netanyahu to reinstate Deri after the High Court struck down his appointment last month.

 Head of the Shas party Aryeh Deri, leads a faction meeting, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on February 6, 2023.

Impairment Law passes in special committee vote to go to Knesset

The Impairment Law amends a provision in the quasi-constitutional Basic Law: Government and will now proceed to an initial Knesset vote.

 MK Simcha Rotman, Head of the Constitution Committee, at a committee vote on the judicial reform legislation at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on March 5, 2023.

Judicial reform legislation to barrel ahead this week

Herzog warned that the legislation being prepared for readings in the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee “is wrong, predatory and dismantles our democratic foundations..."

 MK Simcha Rotman, Head of the Constitution Committee, at a committee vote on the judicial reform legislation at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on March 5, 2023.

Lapid calls to write Israeli constitution in response to judicial reform

The Declaration of Independence has no formal legal status in the Israeli government system, which Lapid proposed should be changed by making the document the first chapter of a new constitution.

Israel's Declaration of Independence

Judicial reform bills to be sent to Knesset in two committee votes on Sunday

In a move that surprised and angered coalition committee members, committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman had decided to hold the revision vote on Sunday.

  OPPOSITION MKS wrap themselves in Israeli flags during the Knesset vote on judicial reform on Monday night.

Simcha Rothman: Everyone understands there is a need for judicial reform

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Constitution Law and Justice Committee chair Simcha Rothman is confident that judicial reform will lead to true democracy for Israel.

The man transforming the judicial system: Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman

'Deri Law,' 'Override Law' pass preliminary reading on Knesset floor

Parliament okays a number of controversial laws in voting marathon

 ARYE DERI, head of the Shas Party, leads a faction meeting in the Knesset this week.

Will Israeli judicial reform lead to renewed constitutional process? – analysis

The current crisis comes in great part from what some in the pro-reform camp perceive as a unilateral cobbling of a virtual constitution in which the High Court seized far too much power for itself.

 Opposition leader Yair Lapid seen during a plenum session in the assembly hall of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on February 15, 2023.

What do pro- and anti-reform legal experts think of Isaac Herzog’s proposal?

Herzog also proposed administrative changes to the judicial system, which were not quite items of contention in the reform debate.

 President Isaac Herzog speaks on Israel's judicial reform on February 12, 2023