Yedidia Stern

The writer is president of the Jewish People Policy Institute and a professor of law at Bar-Ilan University.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Gali Baharav-Miara attends a Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee meeting in April. She says that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to advance the appointment of Maj.-Gen. David Zini as head of the Shin Bet is invalid and illegal.

Tug of war: Netanyahu and High Court gamble with Israel's future over Shin Bet head - opinion

 Demonstrators take part in an "Emergency Rally: Stand with Palestinians Under Siege in Gaza," amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., October 14, 2023.

Jerusalem, wake up! Harvard is becoming increasingly antisemitic - opinion

SUPREME COURT Justice Noam Sohlberg attends a ceremony for fallen Israeli soldiers whose burial place is unknown at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on March 6.

Dividing Israel: How politics of trust threatens inquiry into October 7 - opinion


Turning the Shin Bet into a political battleground would be a detriment to all of Israel - opinion

When an agency with extraordinary powers becomes a partisan battleground, democracy itself is at risk.

 SHIN BET head Ronen Bar attends a state ceremony this past October at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, marking a year since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. The Shin Bet has failed in its mission to protect Israel’s citizens and openly admits to this failure, says the writer.

We should all compromise to protect Israel’s judiciary from political strife - opinion

The incoming president of the Supreme Court could raise the flag of compromise in the form of the victor’s outstretched hand and allow Levin’s candidate to be appointed to the court.

 JUSTICE MINISTER Yariv Levin (right) and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, a former justice minister, attend a Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee meeting last week. Their proposal is significantly better than the original plan that roiled the country in 2023, but has substantial flaws

To stop the Israeli exodus, we need a constitution - opinion

Israel's record-high emigration isn't just about war and economics – it's about a deeper crisis of democracy that only constitutional reform can solve.

 DEMONSTRATORS PROTEST against the government’s judicial overhaul, in Tel Aviv, in 2023. The large banner in the front reads: ‘Tel Aviv shall remain liberal.’ The judicial reform/revolution that tore us apart in 2023 is rearing its head once again, says the writer.

The wrong priorities: The absurdity of today's Israel is on full display - opinion

Israel’s future depends on the ability of our leadership in all branches of government to promote broad consensus on fair rules.

 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Tel Aviv District Court during his testimony in the trial against him, December 10, 2024

Israelis can only fortify the national home by reconciliating among ourselves - opinion

The outward fortification of the national home, which has been achieved, must be accompanied by an internal fortification of the body politic.

 COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER Shlomo Karhi and Kan Public Broadcasting’s Michal Asulin argue at a meeting in the Knesset this week on freedom of the media. A small majority in the Knesset has set its sights on the media, political freedom, rule of law, government institutions.

Israel's resilience: Uniting in celebration on Simchat Torah - opinion

Israel's resilience amid political, health, and security crises highlights its unique spirit and determination to safeguard its sovereignty.

 Anti-judicial reform protest at Kaplan street in Tel Aviv, July 29, 2023.

Yariv Levin and his judicial reform have failed. Here's why - opinion

With the justice minister blocking Supreme Court appointments and ministers defying the attorney general, Israel's democracy faces a critical test.

 JUSTICE MINISTER Yariv Levin sits in the Knesset plenum in July.

Israel is in desperate need of a hostage deal and strategy - opinion

A deal is the order of the day, to be followed by the main task: elections, so that the elected leadership can finally formulate what Israel is lacking: a national strategy.

 US SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken is greeted by Qatari Minister of State Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, in Doha, this week. The time has come to reach a hostage deal under the terms laid out in the current negotiations, says the writer.

As Europe becomes Islamized, Jews should jump ship and move to Israel - opinion

The changing face of Europe leaves the Jews of Europe with no way out; they have but one insurance policy: Israel’s Law of Return.

 MEMBERS OF the European Parliament vote during a plenary session last year, in Strasbourg, France. Recent election results in France, the UK, and for the European Parliament cast a pall over the future of the Jews in Europe, says the writer.

Israel will pay for the price of indecisiveness, prompting decision-making in Gaza - opinion

There is a price for indecisiveness, both externally and internally: Israel is not being led, and it is losing key assets that are vital to the future of all of us.

 DEFENSE MINISTER Yoav Gallant speaks with soldiers. The lofty words of our leadership – ‘total victory’ – do not convince Israelis, the writer stresses.