Netanyahu says striking down Reasonableness Law would be 'uncharted territory,' refuses to answer if he would comply

In a spirited interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer last Thursday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said any situation in which the Israeli Supreme Court strikes down an amendment to a Basic Law would be “uncharted territory.”

When asked whether he would comply with a Supreme Court decision, Netanyahu deflected by replying: “I hope we don’t get to that.”

“We don't want a subordinate court,” Netanyahu told Blitzer. “We want an independent court, and that's the correction we're making. The situation – or the potential situation – where, in American terms, the Supreme Court takes a constitutional amendment and says it's unconstitutional, that's the kind of spiral you're talking about, and I hope we don't get to that.”

Last week, following the passing of the Reasonableness Standard Law, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a series of interviews with U.S. media outlets, largely avoiding interviews with local Israeli media outlets.

In his CNN interview, the prime minister argued that judicial reform was necessary to stop Israel's activist judiciary and to “put Israeli democracy back on an equal footing with other democracies.”

“The essence of democracy is the balance between the will of the majority and the rights of the minority," Netanyahu explained. "This balance has been violated over the last 20 years because we have the most activist court on the planet.

Even so, the newly-passed law remains the center of debate.

In a Fox News interview, the prime minister pushed back against accusations that he is not honestly seeking a compromise.

“I had a majority of 64 to pass everything the coalition wanted, and we suspended the legislation for seven months because we tried to reach understandings, which indicates that I am trying to reach a compromise,” Netanyahu responded.

He also denied that reservist refusals had harmed the readiness of the Israel Defense Forces.

“Refusal did not harm Israel's preparedness and capabilities,” Netanyahu said. “No one should underestimate the readiness of the Israeli army and our ability to unite and stand up to enemies at all times. Israel has a very large army relative to the size of the country, which includes hundreds of thousands of soldiers and reservists. If we get to a battle with our enemies, and I hope not, they will discover that what I say is true.”

However, less than two weeks ago, Netanyahu said reservists' refusal to serve was illegal and would directly endanger the security of the Israeli public.

“The incitement to refusal and the refusal itself are against democracy and against the law. This is true for any democracy, but in our democracy, incitement and refusal directly endanger the security of all Israeli citizens," the prime minister said.

"They harm the deterrence against our enemies who can easily be tempted into acts of aggression against us, and they undermine the discipline within the army, which is the basis of the army's existence in the first place,” Netanyahu stated.

During his remarks at Sunday morning's weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu affirmed that he remains committed to seeking a broad consensus on future reforms.

“Members of the government, as we promised, we will take advantage of the summer recess to try to reach agreements within ourselves. I hope that this time our outstretched hand will not remain in the air,” Netanyahu commented. “It is possible to reach agreements – agreements must be reached – and a large majority of the public understands this simple truth.”