The hearing began with unruly scenes, with hecklers forcing the judges to halt the proceedings and then resume them without a public audience. The government was given a deadline to find a compromise.
Israel's top court on Tuesday gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government a deadline to find a compromise over his dismissal of a top intelligence official, part of a legal battle that could lead to a constitutional crisis.
The attempt to fire Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, has further polarized an already divided Israel. Government supporters view Mr. Bar as disloyal to Mr. Netanyahu, but critics say his removal sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the independence of democratic institutions.
The hearing, which was broadcast live in Israel, began with unruly scenes as hecklers, including a lawmaker from Mr Netanyahu's conservative Likud party, forced the judges to suspend the proceedings and then resume them without a public audience. Lawmaker Tally Gottlieve had to be forcibly removed from the courtroom.
The hearing lasted nearly 11 hours and ended with a temporary ruling against Mr. Bar's dismissal. The judges gave the attorney general and the government until April 20 to come up with a “creative solution.”
The court ruled that Mr. Bar should remain in his position for the time being.
What's the matter?
Last month, Mr. Netanyahu fired Mr. Bar, saying he no longer trusted him. Critics say Mr. Netanyahu fired Mr. Bar to try to seize more power by purging dissenting voices from Israel's security establishment.
As head of the Shin Bet, Mr. Bar helped lead Israel’s war on Gaza and oversee the occupation of the West Bank. He was also one of the few senior officials to negotiate a cease-fire with Hamas to free dozens of hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war.
