Israeli Justice Announces Early Exit, Clearing Way for Historic Shift

Israeli Supreme Court Justice Menachem Mazuz announced his early retirement late Monday night, sending shock waves through the judicial and political systems and lending even more consequence to the coming parliamentary elections. Mazuz cited “personal reasons” for departing the bench four years earlier than expected, and those close to him explained he was “exhausted” and desired a change. Prior to his appointment to the court in 2014, he served as the nation’s attorney-general for six years. Mazuz’s exit deals a significant blow to the high court’s liberal majority, as several of his more “left-leaning” companions are scheduled to retire in the next two years as well, leaving an opening for a conservative majority to seize control of the court for the first time in years. In a situation eerily similar to the October passing of United States Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, if Israel’s parliament fails to convene the committee charged with appointing judges – which currently holds a “liberal” majority – before the coming spring elections, the selection of Mazuz’s replacement will fall to the next parliament, which may house a significant conservative majority that will tip the court in its favor.