Jerusalem Law ( Hebrew : חוֹק יְסוֹד: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בִּירַת יִשְׂרָאֵל , Arabic : قانون القدس ) is a common name of Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel passed by the Knesset on 30 July 1980.
120-801: Although the law did not use the term, the Israeli Supreme Court interpreted the law as an effective annexation of East Jerusalem . The United Nations Security Council condemned the attempted change in status to Jerusalem and ruled the law "null and void" in United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 . On 27 June 1967, Israel expanded the municipal boundaries of West Jerusalem so as to include approximately 70 km (27.0 sq mi) of West Bank territory today referred to as East Jerusalem , which included Jordanian East Jerusalem ( 6 km (2.3 sq mi) ) and 28 villages and areas of
240-526: A Minister without Portfolio . Rafi also joined the unity government at that time, with Moshe Dayan becoming Defense Minister. Gahal's arrangement lasted until August 1970, when Begin and Gahal quit the government, then led by Golda Meir due to disagreements over the Rogers Plan and its "in place" cease-fire with Egypt along the Suez Canal, Other sources, including William B. Quandt , note that
360-478: A "Tachkemoni" school, associated with the religious Zionist movement. In his childhood, Begin, like most Jewish children in his town, was a member of the Zionist scouts movement Hashomer Hatzair . He was a member of Hashomer Hatzair until the age of 13, and at 16, he joined Betar . At 14, he was sent to a Polish government school, where he received a solid grounding in classical literature . Begin studied law at
480-601: A "glass house", as the whole world looked inside. He knew that British total war and civilian repression would create both global sympathy for the Irgun's cause and international diplomatic pressure on Britain. Ultimately, the British Cabinet would be forced to choose between further escalating the repression or complete withdrawal, and Begin was certain that in the end, the British would leave. Further, so as not to disturb
600-489: A belligerent dissident. After the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948 and the start of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , Irgun continued to fight alongside Haganah and Lehi. On 15 May 1948, Begin broadcast a speech on radio declaring that the Irgun was finally moving out of its underground status. On 1 June Begin signed an agreement with the provisional government headed by David Ben-Gurion , where
720-619: A choice between remaining with the Anders' Army to fight Nazi Germany in Europe, or staying in Palestine to fight for establishment of a Jewish state. While he initially wished to remain with the Polish army, he was eventually persuaded to change his mind by his contacts in the Irgun, as well as Polish officers sympathetic to the Zionist cause. Consequently, General Michał Karaszewicz-Tokarzewski ,
840-528: A clash was now inevitable. Fighting ensued and there were a number of casualties. In order to prevent further bloodshed, the Kfar Vitkin settlers initiated negotiations between Yaakov Meridor (Begin's deputy) and Dan Even , which ended in a general ceasefire and the transfer of the weapons on shore to the local IDF commander. Begin had meanwhile boarded the Altalena , which was headed for Tel Aviv where
960-575: A demonstration in Jerusalem attended by some 15,000 people, and gave a passionate and dramatic speech in which he attacked the government and called for its violent overthrow. Referring to the Altalena Affair, Begin stated that "when you fired at me with a cannon, I gave the order: 'No!' Today I will give the order, 'Yes!'" Incited by his speech, the crowd marched towards the Knesset (then at
1080-627: A foreign body, whether political, governmental or to any other similar type of foreign body. Entrenchment 7. Clauses 5 and 6 shall not be modified except by a Basic Law passed by a majority of the members of the Knesset. Menachem Begin Prime Minister Yitzchak Navon President of the State " Published in Sefer Ha-Chukkim No. 980 of the 23rd Av, 5740 (5 August 1980), p. 186;
1200-683: A full-scale insurgency against the British, and together with the Haganah's illegal immigration campaign, this forced a large commitment of British forces to Palestine that was gradually sapping British financial resources. Three particular Irgun operations directly ordered by Begin: the Night of the Beatings , the Acre Prison break , and the Sergeants affair , were cited as particularly influencing
1320-635: A judge, or is removed from office. As of October 2024 , the Supreme Court judges are: Yitzhak Amit (1958, Israel) Noam Sohlberg (1962, Israel) Daphne Barak-Erez (1965, United States ) David Mintz (1959, UK ) Yosef Elron (1955, Israel) Yael Willner (1959, Israel) Ofer Grosskopf (1969, Israel) Alex Stein (1957, USSR , now Moldova ) (1958, Israel) (1958, Israel) (1962, Israel) (1961, Israel) Keren Azulay and Lior Mishaly Shlomai serve as
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#17327650660701440-470: A judgment or decision of the Magistrates’ Courts. The Supreme Court sits as a panel of five Judges or more in a rehearing on a matter in which the Supreme Court sat with a panel of three Judges. The Supreme Court may sit as a panel of a larger uneven number of Judges than three in matters that involve fundamental legal questions and constitutional issues of particular importance. In a case on which
1560-677: A landslide, becoming the biggest party in the Knesset . Popularly known as the Mahapakh ("upheaval"), the election results had seismic ramifications as for the first time in Israeli history a party other than the Alignment/Mapai was in a position to form a government, effectively ending the left's hitherto unrivalled domination over Israeli politics. Likud's electoral victory signified a fundamental restructuring of Israeli society in which
1680-510: A lawyer named Yisrael Halperin. After the British searched the area but missed the street where his house was located, Begin and his family moved to a new home on a Tel Aviv side street, where he assumed the name Yisrael Sassover and masqueraded as a rabbi. Following the King David Hotel bombing, when the British searched the entire city of Tel Aviv, Begin evaded capture by hiding in a secret compartment in his home. In 1947, he moved to
1800-661: A majority of 7 of the 9 committee members, or two less than the number present at the meeting. All candidates for appointment to the Supreme Court must have a minimum of five years of experience as a district court judge or otherwise at least ten years of professional legal experience including a minimum of five years practicing law in Israel. These requirements may be waived for a person recognized as an "eminent jurist", although this special category has only been used once for an appointment. The three organs of state—the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government—as well as
1920-581: A means of accentuating their differences. One of the fiercest confrontations between Begin and Ben-Gurion revolved around the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany , signed in 1952. Begin vehemently opposed the agreement, claiming that it was tantamount to a pardon of Nazi crimes against the Jewish people. While the agreement was debated in the Knesset in January 1952, he led
2040-474: A memoir written by one of the conspirators, Elieser Sudit. Begin's impassioned rhetoric, laden with pathos and evocations of the Holocaust, appealed to many, but was deemed inflammatory and demagoguery by others. In the following years, Begin failed to gain electoral momentum, and Herut remained far behind Labor with a total of 17 seats until 1961. In the 1965 Israeli legislative election , Herut and
2160-744: A new party in the Knesset, the Free Center , with the loss of three seats for Herut. After this revolt, Begin reversed his decision to retire and returned as party chairman in February 1967. The day the Six-Day War started in June 1967, Gahal joined the national unity government under Prime Minister Levi Eshkol of the Alignment, resulting in Begin serving in the cabinet for the first time, as
2280-453: A party chairman being elected; the chair would be vacant for eight months. Internal opposition to Begin' leadership came to a head a month after the convention, when Haim Amsterdam, an assistant to one of the opposition leaders, Shmuel Tamir , published a devastating attack on Begin in Ha'aretz ; this led to the suspension of Tamir's party membership. The leaders of the opposition then established
2400-571: A resolution to empower the army to use force if necessary to overcome the Irgun and to confiscate the ship and its cargo. Implementation of this decision was assigned to the Alexandroni Brigade, commanded by Dan Even [ he ] (Epstein), which the following day surrounded the Kfar Vitkin area. Dan Even issued the following ultimatum: To: M. Begin By special order from the Chief of
2520-524: A ruling of the Court justifies such hearing. The Supreme Court, both as an appellate court and the High Court of Justice, is normally constituted of a panel of three Judges. A single Supreme Court Judge may rule on interim orders, temporary orders or petitions for an order nisi , and on appeals on interim rulings of District Courts, or on judgments given by a single District Court judge on appeal, and on
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#17327650660702640-667: A searchable online database at Versa . They can also be found on the Court's own site and have been published in hard copy in annual volumes by William S. Hein & Co. as the Israel Law Reports . In addition, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Court, has published three volumes of English translations of selected decisions entitled Judgments of the Israel Supreme Court: Fighting Terrorism within
2760-561: A serious heart attack in December 1951. Between 1948 and 1977, under Begin, Herut and the alliances it formed ( Gahal in 1965 and Likud in 1973) formed the main opposition to the dominant Mapai and later the Alignment (the forerunners of today's Labor Party ) in the Knesset ; Herut adopted a radical nationalistic agenda committed to the irredentist idea of Greater Israel that usually included Jordan . During those years, Begin
2880-514: A slight resemblance to him, according to Begin, and were fed misinformation by Yaakov Meridor that he had had plastic surgery, and were thus confused over his appearance. Due to the British police conducting searches in the hotel's vicinity, he relocated to a Yemenite neighborhood in Petah Tikva , and after a month, moved to the Hasidof neighborhood near Kfar Sirkin , where he pretended to be
3000-437: A “further hearing” on its own judgment. In a matter on which the Supreme Court has ruled, whether as a court of appeals or as the High Court of Justice, with a panel of three or more Judges, it may rule at a further hearing with a panel of a larger number of Judges. A further hearing may be held if the Supreme Court makes a ruling inconsistent with a previous ruling or if the Court deems that the importance, difficulty or novelty of
3120-584: Is a lead opinion for the majority, but there is no "opinion of the Court" as such. Each participating Judge will either note that she or he concurs in the lead opinion (and possibly another opinion as well) or write a separate concurrence. It is not unusual for most or all of the participating Judges to write separately, even when they agree as to the outcome. The Court's opinions are available in Hebrew on its own website and from Nevo . A relatively small subset has been translated into English. These are available in
3240-537: Is determined by a resolution of the Knesset. Currently, there are 13 Supreme Court Judges with 2 vacant places. At the head of the Supreme Court and at the head of the judicial system as a whole is the President of the Supreme Court, and the Deputy President. A judge serves until reaching 70 years of age, or the judge resigns, dies, is appointed to a position which is disqualifying from continued service as
3360-532: Is situated in Jerusalem 's Givat Ram governmental campus, about half a kilometer from Israel's legislature, the Knesset . When ruling as the High Court of Justice ( Hebrew : בֵּית מִשְׁפָּט גָּבוֹהַּ לְצֶדֶק , Beit Mishpat Gavo'ah LeTzedek ; also known as its acronym Bagatz , בג"ץ), the court rules on the legality of decisions of State authorities: government decisions, those of local authorities and other bodies and persons performing public functions under
3480-530: Is the capital of Israel. Seat of the President, the Knesset, the Government and the Supreme Court: 2. Jerusalem is the seat of the President of the State, the Knesset, the Government and the Supreme Court. Protection of Holy Places: 3. The Holy Places shall be protected from desecration and any other violation and from anything likely to violate the freedom of access of the members of
3600-613: The Bethlehem and Beit Jala municipalities 64 km (25 sq mi). On 30 July 1980, the Knesset officially approved the Jerusalem Law, which called the city the complete and united capital. Although it was claimed that the application of the Israeli law to East Jerusalem was not annexation, this position was rejected by the Israeli Supreme Court. In a 1970 majority ruling, Justice Y. Kahan expressed
3720-739: The British Empire and damage their prestige; this would cause the British Cabinet, as they had with the Black and Tans and the Auxiliary Division in Ireland, to unleash indiscriminate total war tactics against the whole Jewish civilian population, which would completely alienate the Yishuv . Similarly to Michael Collins, Begin banked on the international media being attracted to the action, which he referred to as turning Palestine into
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3840-603: The Deir Yassin massacre , though Irgun and Lehi sources would deny a massacre took place there. Begin also repeatedly threatened to declare independence if the Jewish Agency did not do so. Throughout the period of the rebellion against the British and the civil war against the Arabs, Begin lived openly under a series of assumed names, often while sporting a beard. Begin would not come out of hiding until April 1948, when
3960-648: The Haganah , had refrained from directly challenging British authority. They were convinced that the British would establish a Jewish state after the war due to support for the Zionist cause among both the Conservative and Labour parties. Giving as reasons that the British had reneged on the promises given in the Balfour Declaration and that the White Paper of 1939 restricting Jewish immigration
4080-560: The Irgun ( Etzel ), an underground Zionist paramilitary organization which had split from the main Jewish military organization, the Haganah , in 1931. Begin assumed the Irgun's leadership in 1944, determined to force the British government to remove its troops entirely from Palestine. The official Jewish leadership institutions in Palestine, the Jewish Agency and Jewish National Council ("Vaad Leumi"), backed up by their military arm,
4200-574: The Jewish Agency . As head of the Irgun, he targeted the British in Palestine . Later, the Irgun fought the Arabs during the 1947–48 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine and, as its chief, Begin was described by the British government as the "leader of the notorious terrorist organisation". It declined him an entry visa to the United Kingdom between 1953 and 1955. However, Begin's overtures of friendship eventually paid off and he
4320-762: The Liberal Party united to form the Gahal bloc under Begin's leadership, but the merger prompted several Liberal MKs to split and form the Independent Liberals and Gahal failed to gain seats in the election, or make up the seats it lost from the Independent Liberal defection. In 1966, during Herut's party convention, he was challenged by the young Ehud Olmert . The opposition group within Herut, however, sensed that Begin's leadership position
4440-539: The Nazi and Fascist parties" and accused his group (along with the smaller, militant, Stern Gang ) of preaching "racial superiority" and having "inaugurated a reign of terror in the Palestine Jewish community". In the first elections in 1949 , Herut, with 11.5 percent of the vote, won 14 seats, while Hatzohar failed to break the threshold and disbanded shortly thereafter. This provided Begin with legitimacy as
4560-725: The President of Israel , upon nomination by the Judicial Selection Committee . Once appointed, Judges serve until retirement at the age of 70 unless they resign or are removed from office. Yitzhak Amit became the acting President of the Supreme Court of Israel on 1 October 2024 after Vogelman stepped down, until a permanent president is appointed by the Judicial Selection Committee, which may take place sometime in November. The Court
4680-400: The Six-Day War shall not be violated." However, this clause was dropped after the first reading in the Knesset. As the Knesset thus declined to specify boundaries and did not use the words " annexation " or " sovereignty ", Ian Lustick writes that "The consensus of legal scholars is that this action added nothing to the legal or administrative circumstance of the city, although, especially at
4800-463: The University of Warsaw , where he learned the oratory and rhetoric skills that became his trademark as a politician, and viewed as demagogy by his critics. During his studies, he organized a self-defense group of Jewish students to counter harassment by anti-Semites on campus. He graduated in 1935, but never practiced law. At this time he became a disciple of Vladimir "Ze'ev" Jabotinsky ,
4920-491: The "Chair of Subversive Activity against England", Begin had also carefully studied the highly successful use of guerrilla warfare tactics by Michael Collins during the Irish War of Independence . While planning the rebellion with Irgun commanders, Begin accordingly devised a highly similar strategy that he believed would force the British Empire out. He proposed a series of guerrilla warfare attacks that would humiliate
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5040-476: The Act is regarded as largely symbolic. An amendment in 2000 further specified the jurisdiction of the law, that included East Jerusalem. It actually did not change its range. The amendment also prohibited transfer of authority to a foreign body, for example an international regime. Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel (unofficial translation) Jerusalem, Capital of Israel: 1. Jerusalem, complete and united,
5160-621: The Allied war effort against Nazi Germany , only British civilian administration and Palestine Police Force targets would be attacked at first, while British armed forces personnel would only be attacked after Adolf Hitler had been defeated. On 1 February 1944, the Irgun proclaimed a revolt. Twelve days later, it put its plan into action when Irgun teams bombed the empty offices of the British Mandate's Immigration Department in Jerusalem , Tel Aviv , and Haifa . The Irgun next bombed
5280-476: The Bar Association. As the High Court of Justice ( Hebrew : בית משפט גבוה לצדק , Beit Mishpat Gavo'ah LeTzedek ; also known as its acronym Bagatz , בג"ץ), the Supreme Court rules on matters within its original jurisdiction , primarily regarding the legality of decisions of State authorities: Government decisions, those of local authorities and other bodies and persons performing public functions under
5400-719: The Bill and an Explanatory Note were published in Hatza'ot Chok No. 1464 of 5740, p. 287. Israeli Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Israel ( Hebrew : בֵּית הַמִּשְׁפָּט הָעֶלְיוֹן , romanized : Bet HaMishpat HaElyon , Hebrew acronym Bagatz ; Arabic : المحكمة العليا , romanized : al-Maḥkama al-‘Ulyā ) is the highest court in Israel . It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all other courts, and in some cases original jurisdiction . The Supreme Court consists of 15 judges appointed by
5520-415: The British to leave due to the great loss of British prestige and growing public opposition to Britain remaining in Palestine at home they generated. In September 1947, the British cabinet voted to leave Palestine, and in November of that year, the United Nations approved a resolution to partition the country between Arabs and Jews. The financial burden imposed on Britain by the Jewish insurgency, together with
5640-455: The British, and the Jewish authorities sent feelers to the Irgun and Lehi to discuss an alliance. The result was the Jewish Resistance Movement , a framework under which the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi launched coordinated series of anti-British operations. For several months in 1945–46, the Irgun fought as part of the Jewish Resistance Movement. Following Operation Agatha , during which the British arrested many Jews, seized arms caches, and occupied
5760-403: The British, who still maintained nominal authority over Palestine, were almost totally gone. During the period of revolt, Begin was the most wanted man in Palestine, and MI5 placed a 'dead-or-alive' bounty of £ 10,000 on his head. Begin had been forced into hiding immediately prior to the declaration of revolt, when Aliza noticed that their house was being watched. He initially lived in a room in
5880-439: The Court Magistrate Judges (or "Registrars"). Below is a list of presidents of the Supreme Court. As an appellate court , the Supreme Court considers cases on appeal (criminal, civil, and military ) on judgments and other decisions of the District Courts. It also considers appeals on judicial and quasi-judicial decisions of various kinds, such as matters relating to the legality of Knesset elections and disciplinary rulings of
6000-413: The Frumin Building on King George Street) and threw stones at the windows, and at police as they intervened. After five hours of rioting, police managed to suppress the riots using water cannons and tear gas. Hundreds were arrested, while some 200 rioters, 140 police officers, and several Knesset members were injured. Many held Begin personally responsible for the violence, and he was consequently barred from
6120-499: The General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, I am empowered to confiscate the weapons and military materials which have arrived on the Israeli coast in the area of my jurisdiction in the name of the Israel Government. I have been authorized to demand that you hand over the weapons to me for safekeeping and to inform you that you should establish contact with the supreme command. You are required to carry out this order immediately. If you do not agree to carry out this order, I shall use all
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#17327650660706240-443: The Haganah and Lehi during that period. Notable operations in which they took part were the battle of Jaffa and the Jordanian siege on the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem . The Irgun's most controversial operation during this period, carried out alongside Lehi, was an assault on the Arab village of Deir Yassin in which more than a hundred villagers and four of the attackers were killed. The event later became known as
6360-403: The Income Tax Offices in those three cities, followed by a series of attacks on police stations in which two Irgun fighters and six policemen were killed. Meanwhile, Lehi joined the revolt with a series of shooting attacks on policemen. The Irgun and Lehi attacks intensified throughout 1944. These operations were financed by demanding money from Jewish merchants and engaging in insurance scams in
6480-417: The Irgun agreed to formally disband and to integrate its force with the newly formed Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but was not truthful of the armaments aboard the Altalena as it was scheduled to arrive during the cease-fire ordered by the United Nations and therefore would have put the State of Israel in peril as Britain was adamant the partition of Jewish and Arab Palestine would not occur. This delivery
6600-410: The Irgun had more supporters. Many Irgun members, who joined the IDF earlier that month, left their bases and concentrated on the Tel Aviv beach. A confrontation between them and the IDF units started. In response, Ben-Gurion ordered Yigael Yadin (acting Chief of Staff) to concentrate large forces on the Tel Aviv beach and to take the ship by force. Heavy guns were transferred to the area and at four in
6720-528: The Irgun soldiers would be fully integrated with the IDF and not kept in separate units. About a year later, Altalena was refloated, towed 15 miles out to sea and sunk. In August 1948, Begin and members of the Irgun High Command emerged from the underground and formed the right-wing political party Herut ("Freedom") party. The move countered the weakening attraction for the earlier revisionist party , Hatzohar , founded by his late mentor Ze'ev Jabotinsky . Revisionist 'purists' alleged nonetheless that Begin
6840-408: The Israelis, shocked world public opinion, Begin grew increasingly isolated. As IDF forces remained mired in Lebanon and the economy suffered from hyperinflation , the public pressure on Begin mounted. Depressed by the death of his wife Aliza in November 1982, he gradually withdrew from public life, until his resignation in October 1983. Menachem Begin was born to Zeev Dov and Hassia Begun in what
6960-465: The Jewish Agency building, from which many documents were removed, Begin ordered an attack on the British military and administrative headquarters at the King David Hotel following a request from the Haganah, although the Haganah's permission was later rescinded. The King David Hotel bombing resulted in the destruction of the building's southern wing, and 91 people, mostly British, Arabs, and Jews, were killed. The fragile partnership collapsed following
7080-540: The Judicial Selection Committee—at the proposal of the Minister of Justice or the President of the Supreme Court—with the agreement of seven of its nine members. The following are qualified to be appointed Judge of the Supreme Court: a person who has held office as a judge of a District Court for a period of five years, or a person who is inscribed, or entitled to be inscribed, in the roll of advocates, and has for not less than ten years –continuously or intermittently, and of which five years at least in Israel – been engaged in
7200-560: The Knesset for several months. His behavior was strongly condemned in mainstream public discourse, reinforcing his image as a provocateur. The vehemence of Revisionist opposition was deep; in March 1952, during the ongoing reparations negotiations, a parcel bomb addressed to Konrad Adenauer , the sitting West German Chancellor , was intercepted at a German post office. While being defused, the bomb exploded, killing one sapper and injuring two others. Five Israelis, all former members of Irgun, were later arrested in Paris for their involvement in
7320-494: The Knesset. (b) Jerusalem shall be given special priority in the activities of the authorities of the State so as to further its development in economic and other matters. (c) The Government shall set up a special body or special bodies for the implementation of this section. Amendment no. 1 (passed by the Knesset on 27 November 2000) : Area of the jurisdiction of Jerusalem 5. The jurisdiction of Jerusalem includes, as pertaining to this basic law, among others, all of
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#17327650660707440-418: The Labor party, by formally accepting UN 242 in mid-1970, had accepted "peace for withdrawal" on all fronts, and because of this Begin had left the unity government. On 5 August, Begin explained before the Knesset why he was resigning from the cabinet. He said, "As far as we are concerned, what do the words 'withdrawal from territories administered since 1967 by Israel' mean other than Judea and Samaria. Not all
7560-429: The Law . These are part of the Versa database and also can be found online at the MFA's website . In the 1980s and the 1990s, the Supreme Court established its role as a protector of human rights, intervening to secure freedom of speech and freedom to demonstrate, reduce military censorship, limit the use of certain military methods and promote equality between various sectors of the population. However critics question
7680-409: The National Religious Party, as well as numerous corruption scandals. All these weakened the labor camp and finally allowed Begin to capture the center stage of Israeli politics. In 1977 Begin declared that "between the [Mediterranean] Sea and the Jordan River there shall only be Israeli sovereignty". Defunct Defunct On 17 May 1977 the Likud, headed by Begin, won the Knesset elections by
7800-441: The President of the Supreme Court sits, the President is the Presiding Judge; in a case on which the Deputy President sits and the President does not sit, the Deputy President is the Presiding Judge; in any other case, the Judge with the greatest length of service is the Presiding Judge. The length of service, for this purpose, is calculated from the date of the appointment of the Judge to the Supreme Court. A special power, unique to
7920-446: The Savoy Hotel, a small hotel in Tel Aviv whose owner was sympathetic to the Irgun's cause, and his wife and son were smuggled in to join him after two months. He decided to grow a beard and live openly under an assumed name rather than go completely into hiding. He was aided by the fact that the British authorities possessed only two photographs of his likeness, of which one, which they believed to be his military identity card, bore only
8040-445: The Six-Day War. Later, Begin's government promoted the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Begin authorized the bombing of the Osirak nuclear plant in Iraq and the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 to fight PLO strongholds there, igniting the 1982 Lebanon War . As Israeli military involvement in Lebanon deepened, and the Sabra and Shatila massacre , carried out by Christian Phalangist militia allies of
8160-402: The Soviet Union , and following his release under the Sikorski–Mayski agreement because he was a Polish national, Begin joined the Free Polish Anders' Army as a corporal officer cadet . He was later sent with the army to Palestine via the Persian Corridor , where he arrived in May 1942. Upon arriving in Palestine, Begin, like many other Polish Jewish soldiers of the Anders' Army, faced
8280-448: The Supreme Court, is the power to order a retrial on a criminal matter in which the defendant has been convicted by a final judgment . A ruling to hold a retrial may be made where the Court finds that evidence provided in the case was based upon lies or was forged; where new facts or evidence are discovered that are likely to alter the decision in the case in favor of the accused; where another has meanwhile been convicted of carrying out
8400-485: The United States relocated their Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, and other countries, including Paraguay and the Czech Republic expressed similar intentions. Although the law was not proposed by the governing coalition or Prime Minister Menachem Begin , rather, it was proposed by lawmakers concerned that peace negotiators were demanding that Arab residents of East Jerusalem be given votes in Palestinian Authority elections. As legislation,
8520-442: The afternoon, Ben-Gurion ordered the shelling of the Altalena . One of the shells hit the ship, which began to burn. Yigal Allon , commander of the troops on the shore, later claimed only five or six shells were fired, as warning shots, and the ship was hit by accident. There was danger that the fire would spread to the holds which contained explosives, and Captain Monroe Fein ordered all aboard to abandon ship. People jumped into
8640-562: The area that is described in the appendix of the proclamation expanding the borders of municipal Jerusalem beginning the 20th of Sivan 5727 (28 June 1967), as was given according to the Cities' Ordinance. Prohibition of the transfer of authority 6. No authority that is stipulated in the law of the State of Israel or of the Jerusalem Municipality may be transferred either permanently or for an allotted period of time to
8760-452: The bar association are represented in the Judges' Nominations Committee. Thus, the shaping of the judicial body, through the manner of judicial appointment, is carried out by all the authorities together. Supreme Court Judges cannot be removed from office except by a decision of the Court of Discipline, consisting of judges appointed by the President of the Supreme Court, or upon a decision of
8880-648: The bill in an 8-7 decision. Supreme Court Judges are appointed by the President of Israel, from names submitted by the Judicial Selection Committee , which is composed of nine members: three Supreme Court Judges (including the President of the Supreme Court), two cabinet ministers (one of them being the Minister of Justice ), two Knesset members, and two representatives of the Israel Bar Association . Appointing Supreme Court Judges requires
9000-501: The bombing, partly because contrary to instructions, it was carried out during the busiest part of the day at the hotel. The Haganah, from then on, would rarely mount attacks against British forces and would focus mainly on the Aliyah Bet illegal immigration campaign, and while it occasionally took half-hearted measures against the Irgun, it never returned to full-scale collaboration with the British. The Irgun and Lehi continued waging
9120-419: The camps in accordance with your arrangements. You have ten minutes to give me your answer. D.E., Brigade Commander The ultimatum was made, according to Even, "in order not to give the Irgun commander time for lengthy considerations and to gain the advantage of surprise." Begin refused to respond to the ultimatum, and all attempts at mediation failed. Begin's failure to respond was a blow to Even's prestige, and
9240-586: The cargo of military equipment. Concomitantly with the events at Kfar Vitkin, the government had convened in Tel Aviv for its weekly meeting. Ben-Gurion reported on the meetings which had preceded the arrival of the Altalena , and was adamant in his demand that Begin surrender and hand over all of the weapons: We must decide whether to hand over power to Begin or to order him to cease his separate activities. If he does not do so, we will open fire! Otherwise, we must decide to disperse our own army. The debate ended in
9360-421: The characteristics of Jerusalem, and resolution 478 (1980) , where UN Member States were asked to withdraw their embassies from the city. Resolution 478 also "condemned in "the strongest terms" the enactment of Israeli law proclaiming a change in status of Jerusalem." while Resolution 2334 of 2016 condemned all Israeli settlements in occupied territory including East Jerusalem. However, thirty-eight years later
9480-542: The different religions to the places sacred to them or their feelings towards those places. Development of Jerusalem: 4. (a) The Government shall provide for the development and prosperity of Jerusalem and the well-being of its inhabitants by allocating special funds, including a special annual grant to the Municipality of Jerusalem (Capital City Grant) with the approval of the Finance Committee of
9600-551: The end of August 1939. Returning to Warsaw afterward, he left three days after the German 1939 invasion began, first to the southwest and then to Wilno . In September 1939, after Germany invaded Poland, Begin, in common with a large part of Warsaw's Jewish leadership, escaped to Wilno (today Vilnius ), then eastern Poland, to avoid inevitable arrest. The town was soon occupied by the Soviet Union , but from 28 October 1939, it
9720-557: The enthusiasm of the Haganah began to wane, and Begin's assumptions were proven correct. The Irgun's restraint also earned it much sympathy from the Yishuv, whereas previously it had been assumed by many that it had placed its own political interests before those of the Yishuv. In the summer of 1945, as it became clear that the British were not planning on establishing a Jewish state and would not allow significant Jewish immigration to Palestine, Jewish public opinion shifted decisively against
9840-411: The establishment as second-class citizens. His open embrace of Judaism stood in stark contrast to the Alignment's secularism, which alienated Mizrahi voters and drew many of them to support Begin, becoming his burgeoning political base. In the years 1974–77 Yitzhak Rabin 's government suffered from instability due to infighting within the labor party (Rabin and Shimon Peres ) and the shift to the right by
9960-671: The founder of the nationalist Revisionist Zionism movement and its youth wing, Betar. His rise within Betar was rapid: at 22, he shared the dais with his mentor at the Betar World Congress in Kraków . The pre-war Polish government actively supported Zionist youth and paramilitary movements. Begin's leadership qualities were quickly recognised. In 1937 he was the active head of Betar in Czechoslovakia and became head of
10080-413: The heart of Tel Aviv and took the identity of Dr. Yonah Koenigshoffer, the name he found on an abandoned passport in a library. In the years following the establishment of the State of Israel, the Irgun's contribution to precipitating British withdrawal became a hotly contested debate as different factions vied for control over the emerging narrative of Israeli independence. Begin resented his portrayal as
10200-517: The hostilities over the Altalena Affair , underpinned the political dichotomy between Mapai and Herut. Begin was a keen critic of Mapai, accusing it of coercive Bolshevism and deep-rooted institutional corruption . Drawing on his training as a lawyer in Poland, he preferred wearing a formal suit and tie and evincing the dry demeanor of a legislator to the socialist informality of Mapai, as
10320-634: The largest branch, that of Poland. As head of Betar's Polish branch, Begin traveled among regional branches to encourage supporters and recruit new members. To save money, he stayed at the homes of Betar members. During one such visit, he met his future wife Aliza Arnold , who was the daughter of his host. The couple married on 29 May 1939. They had three children: Binyamin , Leah and Hassia. Living in Warsaw in Poland, Begin encouraged Betar to set up an organization to bring Polish Jews to Palestine. He unsuccessfully attempted to smuggle 1,500 Jews into Romania at
10440-622: The law, and direct challenges to the constitutionality of laws enacted by the Knesset. The Israeli Defense Forces are also subject to the HCJ's judicial review. The court has broad discretionary authority to rule on matters in which it considers it necessary to grant relief in the interests of justice, and which are not within the jurisdiction of another court or tribunal. The High Court of Justice grants relief through orders such as injunction , mandamus and Habeas Corpus , as well as through declaratory judgments . The Supreme Court can also sit at
10560-470: The law, and direct challenges to the constitutionality of laws enacted by the Knesset. The court may review actions by state authorities outside of Israel. By the principle of binding precedent ( stare decisis ), Supreme Court rulings are binding upon every other court, except itself. Over the years, it has ruled on numerous sensitive issues, some of which relate to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict ,
10680-570: The leader of the Revisionist stream of Zionism. During the 1950s, Begin was banned from entering the United Kingdom , as the British government regarded him as "leader of the notorious terrorist organisation Irgun." Begin's disappointment at the result of the 1951 Israeli legislative election , in which Herut lost six of its 14 seats, led Begin to resign as Herut leader in August 1951, and naming Aryeh Ben-Eliezer as his successor. Despite sending
10800-572: The local diamond industry. In 1944, after Lehi gunmen assassinated Lord Moyne , the British Resident Minister in the Middle East, the official Jewish authorities, fearing British retaliation, ordered the Haganah to undertake a campaign of collaboration with the British. Known as The Hunting Season , the campaign seriously crippled the Irgun for several months, while Lehi, having agreed to suspend their anti-British attacks,
10920-493: The means at my disposal in order to implement the order and to requisition the weapons which have reached shore and transfer them from private possession into the possession of the Israel government. I wish to inform you that the entire area is surrounded by fully armed military units and armored cars, and all roads are blocked. I hold you fully responsible for any consequences in the event of your refusal to carry out this order. The immigrants – unarmed – will be permitted to travel to
11040-639: The opinion: "... As far as I am concerned, there is no need for any certificate from the Foreign Minister or from any administrative authority to determine that East Jerusalem ... was annexed to the State of Israel and constitutes part of its territory ... by means of these two enactments and consequently this area constitutes part of the territory of Israel." The Jerusalem Law began as a private member's bill proposed by Geulah Cohen , whose original text stated that "the integrity and unity of greater Jerusalem (Yerushalayim rabati) in its boundaries after
11160-529: The party his resignation letter and going abroad to Europe, the party's national council voted instead to make Ben-Eliezer deputy chairman and grant Begin a six month leave of absence , while re-electing him as party chairman. Begin did not return to public life until January 1952, prompted to do so by the growing debate around the Reparations Agreement between Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany as well as by Ben-Eliezer being hospitalized due to
11280-412: The plot. Chancellor Adenauer decided to keep secret the involvement of Israeli opposition party members in the plot, thus avoiding Israeli embarrassment and a likely backlash. The five Irgun conspirators were later extradited from both France and Germany, without charge, and sent back to Israel. Forty years after the assassination attempt, Begin was implicated as the organizer of the assassination attempt in
11400-717: The political center. His 1977 electoral victory and premiership ended three decades of Labor Party political dominance. Begin's most significant achievement as Prime Minister was the signing of a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, for which he and Anwar Sadat shared the Nobel Prize for Peace . In the wake of the Camp David Accords , the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula , which had been captured from Egypt in
11520-399: The profession of an advocate , served in a judicial capacity or other legal function in the service of the State of Israel or other service as designated in regulations in this regard, or has taught law at a university or a higher school of learning as designated in regulations in this regard. An "eminent jurist" can also be appointed to the Supreme Court. The number of Supreme Court Judges
11640-421: The rights of Arab citizens , and discrimination between Jewish groups in Israel. On 24 July 2023, the Knesset passed a bill to prevent the Supreme Court from 'consider[ing] the reasonableness of a decision of the government, the prime minister, or any other minister', which would diminish the power of the Supreme Court to check future actions of the government. On 1 January 2024 the Supreme Court overturned
11760-464: The river. His mother and his elder brother Herzl also were murdered in the Holocaust. Begin quickly made a name for himself as a fierce critic of the dominant Zionist leadership for being too cooperative with the British, and argued that the only way to save the Jews of Europe, who were facing extermination, was to compel the British to leave so that a Jewish state could be established. In 1942 he joined
11880-856: The role of the court in protecting the human rights of Palestinians in the West Bank and point to double standards in their application. According to a 2017 poll by non-profit organization Israel Democracy Institute , the Supreme Court is the only State institution that the majority of both Jewish (57%) and Arab citizens of Israel (54%) have trust in, marking a slight increase from their 2016 poll. Menachem Begin Menachem Begin ( Hebrew : מְנַחֵם בֵּגִין Menaḥem Begin , pronounced [menaˈχem ˈbeɡin] ; Polish : Menachem Begin (Polish documents, 1931–1937); Russian: Менахем Вольфович Бегин , romanized: Menakhem Volfovich Begin ; 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992)
12000-448: The same offense and it appears from the circumstances revealed in the trial of that other person that the original party convicted of the offense did not commit it; or, where there is a real concern for miscarriage of justice in the conviction. In practice, a ruling to hold a retrial is very rarely made. The Court announces its judgments through individually signed opinions setting out the result and underlying reasoning. In general, there
12120-515: The second-in-command of the Army, issued Begin with a "leave of absence without an expiration" which gave Begin official permission to stay in Palestine. In December 1942 he left Anders's Army and joined the Irgun. During the Holocaust , Begin's father was among the 5,000 Brest Jews rounded up by the Nazis at the end of June 1941. Instead of being sent to a forced labor camp, they were shot or drowned in
12240-497: The ship); six were killed in the Kfar Vitkin area and ten on Tel Aviv beach. Three IDF soldiers were killed: two at Kfar Vitkin and one in Tel Aviv. After the shelling of the Altalena , more than 200 Irgun fighters were arrested. Most of them were released several weeks later, with the exception of five senior commanders (Moshe Hason, Eliyahu Lankin , Yaakov Meridor , Bezalel Amitzur , and Hillel Kook ), who were detained for more than two months, until 27 August 1948. Begin agreed
12360-635: The territories; but by all opinion, most of them." In 1973, Begin agreed to a plan by Ariel Sharon to form a larger bloc of opposition parties, made up from Gahal, the Free Centre , and other smaller groups. They came through with a tenuous alliance called the Likud ("Consolidation"). In the elections held later that year, two months after the Yom Kippur War , the Likud won a considerable share of
12480-797: The time, its passage was considered to have political importance and sparked a vigorous protest reaction from the world community." General Assembly Resolutions 2253 and 2254 of July 4 and 14, 1967, respectively, considered Israeli activity in Eastern Jerusalem illegal and asked Israel to cancel those activities and especially not to change the features of the city. On 21 May 1968, United Nations Security Council Resolution 252 invalidated legal and administrative measures by Israel in violation of UNGA Resolutions 2253 and 2254 and required those measures be rescinded. UN criticism since 1967 includes UNSC resolutions in addition to 252, 267 (1969) , 298 (1971) and resolution 476 (1980) , regretting changes in
12600-503: The tremendous public opposition to keeping troops in Palestine it generated among the British public was later cited by British officials as a major factor in Britain's decision to evacuate Palestine. In December 1947, immediately following the UN partition vote, the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine broke out between the Yishuv and Palestinian Arabs. The Irgun fought together with
12720-557: The votes, though with 39 seats still remained in opposition. Yet the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War saw ensuing public disenchantment with the Alignment. Voices of criticism about the government's misconduct of the war gave rise to growing public resentment. Personifying the antithesis to the Alignment's socialist ethos, Begin appealed to many Mizrahi Israelis, mostly first and second generation Jewish refugees from Arab countries , who felt they were continuously being treated by
12840-499: The water, whilst their comrades on shore set out to meet them on rafts. Although Captain Fein flew the white flag of surrender, automatic fire continued to be directed at the unarmed survivors swimming in the water. Begin, who was on deck, agreed to leave the ship only after the last of the wounded had been evacuated. Sixteen Irgun fighters were killed in the confrontation with the army (all but three were veteran members and not newcomers in
12960-588: Was accused of being an "agent of British imperialism " and sentenced to eight years in the Soviet gulag camps. On 1 June 1941 he was sent to the Pechora labor camps in Komi Republic, the northern part of European Russia. Much later in life, Begin recorded and reflected upon his experiences in the interrogations and life in the camp in his memoir White Nights . In July 1941, just after Germany attacked
13080-460: Was agreement on the anchoring place of the Altalena , there were differences of opinion about the allocation of the cargo. Ben-Gurion agreed to Begin's initial request that 20% of the weapons be dispatched to the Irgun's Jerusalem Battalion , which was still fighting independently. His second request, however, that the remainder be transferred to the IDF to equip the newly incorporated Irgun battalions,
13200-521: Was an Israeli politician, founder of both Herut and Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of Israel . Before the creation of the state of Israel , he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun , the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah . He proclaimed a revolt , on 1 February 1944, against the British mandatory government , which was opposed by
13320-505: Was an escalation of their pro-Arab policy, he decided to break with the official institutions and launch an armed rebellion against British rule, in cooperation with Lehi , another breakaway Zionist group. Begin had also carefully studied the tactics of the Indian independence movement . Even more importantly, during multiple meetings with Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin and senior IRA veteran Robert Briscoe , who jokingly described himself as
13440-492: Was granted a visa in 1972, five years prior to becoming prime minister. Begin was elected to the first Knesset , as head of Herut , the party he founded, and was at first on the political fringe, embodying the opposition to the Mapai -led government and Israeli establishment. He remained in opposition in the eight consecutive elections (except for a national unity government around the Six-Day War ), but became more acceptable to
13560-595: Was out to steal Jabotinsky's mantle and ran against him with the old party. The Herut party can be seen as the forerunner of today's Likud . In November 1948, Begin visited the US on a campaigning trip. During his visit, a letter signed by Albert Einstein , Sidney Hook , Hannah Arendt , and other prominent Americans and several rabbis was published which described Begin's Herut party as "terrorist, right-wing chauvinist organization in Palestine," "closely akin in its organization, methods, political philosophy and social appeal to
13680-413: Was rejected by the Government representatives, who interpreted the request as a demand to reinforce an "army within an army." The Altalena reached Kfar Vitkin in the late afternoon of Sunday, 20 June. Among the Irgun members waiting on the shore was Menachem Begin, who greeted the arrivals with great emotion. After the passengers had disembarked, members of the fishing village of Mikhmoret helped unload
13800-456: Was spared. Begin, anxious to prevent a civil war, ordered his men not to retaliate or resist being taken captive, convinced that the Irgun could ride out the Season, and that the Jewish Agency would eventually side with the Irgun when it became apparent the British government had no intention of making concessions. Gradually, shamed at participating in what was viewed as a collaborationist campaign,
13920-476: Was systematically delegitimized by the ruling party, and was often personally derided by Ben-Gurion who refused to either speak to or refer to him by name. Ben-Gurion famously coined the phrase 'without Herut and Maki ' (Maki was the communist party ), referring to his refusal to consider them for coalition, effectively pushing both parties and their voters beyond the margins of political consensus. The personal animosity between Ben-Gurion and Begin, going back to
14040-631: Was the capital of the Republic of Lithuania. Wilno was a predominately Polish and Jewish town; an estimated 40 percent of the population was Jewish, with the YIVO institute located there. As a prominent pre-war Zionist and reserve status officer-cadet, on 20 September 1940, Begin was arrested by the NKVD and detained in the Lukiškės Prison . In later years he wrote about his experience of being tortured. He
14160-409: Was the smoking gun Britain would need to urge the UN to end the partition action. Intense negotiations between representatives of the provisional government (headed by Ben-Gurion) and the Irgun (headed by Begin) followed the departure of Altalena from France. Among the issues discussed were logistics of the ship's landing and distribution of the cargo between the military organizations. Whilst there
14280-508: Was then Brest-Litovsk in the Russian Empire (today Brest , Belarus ). He was the youngest of three children. On his mother's side he was descended from distinguished rabbis. His father, a timber merchant, was a community leader, a passionate Zionist , and an admirer of Theodor Herzl . The midwife who attended his birth was the grandmother of Ariel Sharon . After a year of a traditional cheder education Begin started studying at
14400-420: Was too strong to challenge directly and concentrated on winning control over the party organization. They won overwhelming victories in all votes for the composition of party institutions. Begin responded to these challenges by announcing his retirement as party chairman and suggesting he would also resign seat in the Knesset. Begin's move mobilized delegates in support of him, but the party convention ended without
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