THE JUDICIALIZATION OF POLITICS IN ISRAEL

The judicialization of politics has probably proceeded further in Isra el than in any other democratic country. In the strong sense of the de finition propounded by Torbjorn Vallinder (1992: 1), the civil judicia ry in Israel, particularly the Supreme Court justices sitting as membe rs of the High Court of justice, are exercising power at the expense o f politicians and administrators. The justices now claim the authority even to review the internal workings of the theoretically sovereign K nesset (parliament). This situation represents a marked change from th e norms of 46 years ago when the state came into existence. Then, powe r and authority were concentrated in the elected agencies, the Knesset and, particularly, the Government. Rampant partisanship, arbitrary an d self-interested policies, and, worst of all, an inability to deal wi th crucial problems besetting Israeli society, corroded that authority and, ultimately, the power of the elected leadership. The default of Israel's democratically elected leadership has led to the judicializat ion of politics.