On 11 May, Israel’s security cabinet approved a plan to initiate land registration in Area C of the West Bank (comprising 60 per cent of the territory), a process in which Israeli authorities will investigate, decide and record land ownership in the territory. The plan has raised fears that the process will lead to land dispossession among Palestinians, who lack access to the documents and information needed to prove ownership. According to Defence Minister Israel Katz, the move is intended to ‘strengthen, consolidate and expand Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria [the biblical names Israel uses to refer to the West Bank]’, a violation of international law. It is the first time since 1968 that land registration has been authorised in Area C which, under the Oslo peace agreement, is administered by Israel. The construction of settlements in the West Bank has been significantly expanded in recent years and on 29 May Israel approved 22 new settlements. 

Sources: The Times of Israel, Haaretz, UN Human Rights Office, Peace Now, WAFA News Agency

On 27 March, the Knesset passed a law reforming the Judicial Selection Committee (JSC), the body responsible for appointing judges, in a way that increases political influence over the judicial appointments process and is likely to undermine judicial independence. The reforms increase the number of political appointees on the JSC from four to six, by replacing two representatives of the Bar Association members with a representative appointed by the government and another by the opposition. Additionally, the law lowers the majority required for Supreme Court nominations from 7-2 to 5-4. However, it requires at least one member from both the coalition and the opposition to agree on appointments, effectively granting each side veto power. The opposition, which boycotted the final vote, has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the law. Civil society groups protested outside the Knesset against the law, which is set to take effect in the next Knesset term, following general elections scheduled for late 2026.

Sources: Knesset, The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post (1), The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, International IDEA, The Jerusalem Post (2)

On 6 February, a reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was convicted by a military court for abusing Palestinian detainees at the Sde Teiman facility between January and June 2024. The reservist admitted to repeatedly assaulting bound and blindfolded detainees under his custody, using his fists, a baton, and a rifle. He also forced the detainees to imitate animal sounds, recording these humiliations on his mobile phone. The court sentenced him to seven months in prison, with 80 days deducted for time already served in pre-trial detention. While this is the first conviction related to abuse allegations at the facility, rights groups have condemned the sentence as insufficient to deter similar incidents in the future. Investigations into other claims of torture and abuse at the facility are still ongoing. On 19 February, military prosecutors indicted five more IDF reservists accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee.

Sources: Israel Defense Forces (1), Israel Defense Forces (2), Reuters, The Jerusalem Post

On 26 January, the Judicial Selection Committee appointed Isaac Amit as President of the Supreme Court, ending a 16-month vacancy. However, Justice Minister Yariv Levin refused to recognize the authority of the newly appointed President, exacerbating growing tensions between the courts and the executive. Levin, who opposes the seniority-based appointment process of the Judicial Selection Committee, called Amit’s nomination “illegitimate.” Levin also boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of Amit, alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The executive’s refusal to acknowledge a Supreme Court President appointment is unprecedented and, observers argue that it compromises the cooperation necessary for the courts' effective functioning, especially given the President’s key role in overseeing judicial appointments, case assignments, disciplinary panels, and judge transfers or removals.

Sources: The Times of Israel (1), The Times of Israel (2), Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, Israel Democracy Institute (1), Israel Democracy Institute (2), Haaretz (2), The Times of Israel (3)

On 9 January, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar introduced a new judicial reform bill aimed at restructuring the Judicial Selection Committee. This move follows earlier judicial reform proposals made in 2023, some of which were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2024 following widespread protests. The new proposed changes include replacing the two representatives of the Israel Bar Association with one lawyer appointed by the government coalition and one by the opposition, thereby increasing political representation on the committee. Additionally, the bill seeks to reduce the majority required for Supreme Court appointments from the current 7-2 to 5-4. A mechanism to prevent deadlocks in the event of persistent vacancies is also included. Observers warn that, despite being presented as a 'compromise solution,' the new bill could politicize judicial appointments and undermine the judiciary's independence if enacted.

Sources: The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, The Israel Democracy Institute