Basic Law

In this must-watch episode of “Basic Law,” hosted by Aylana Meisel, Executive Director of the Israel Law and Liberty Forum, we sit down with Member of Knesset Simcha Rothman, Chairman of the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, for an in-depth conversation about the future of Israel's democracy and judicial reform.The Israel Law & Liberty Forum is proud to partner with JNS to offer a platform for conservative and classical liberal legal thought from within Israel. Any opinions stated are those of the speaker and not meant to represent the positions of the Forum or JNS. The Forum is an organization which fosters thoughtful conversation and debate on key issues in Israel law and democracy. The Forum takes no official positions regarding any specific policy issues nor does it advance specific policies.

Is Israeli democracy truly at the brink or are media-fueled doomsday warnings premature? On this episode of “Basic Law,” Aylana Meisel, Executive Director of the Israel Law and Liberty Forum, sits down with Dr. Ran Baratz, political scientist and former senior government official, to cut through the chaos and explain what’s really happening inside Israel’s legal, political and security institutions.🎯 In this episode:* The growing clash between Israel’s elected officials and its entrenched bureaucracy* How Israel’s security services gained unprecedented independence from political oversight* The unique Israeli definitions of terms like “rule of law” and “judicial independence”* The origins of Israel’s judicial revolution and how it shaped a new political culture* Whether fears of a looming Israeli civil war are justified or just political theaterThe Israel Law & Liberty Forum is proud to partner with JNS to offer a platform for conservative and classical liberal legal thought from within Israel. Any opinions stated are those of the speaker and not meant to represent the positions of the Forum or JNS. The Forum is an organization which fosters thoughtful conversation and debate on key issues in Israel law and democracy. The Forum takes no official positions regarding any specific policy issues nor does it advance specific policies.

The issue of Ultra-Orthodox (“Haredi”) draft into the Israel Defence Force has polarized Israeli society for decades. Since Oct. 7th, the conversation has heated up as the need for a larger army has become increasingly clear.In this episode of “Basic Law”, Aylana Meisel, Executive Director of the Israel Law and Liberty Forum, is joined by Rabbi Dr. Yehoshua Pfeffer, rabbinical judge, legal scholar and founder of the Iyun Institute, for a deep dive into one of Israel’s most contentious legal and societal issues: the Haredi military draft exemption.

Welcome to “Basic Law,” the new JNS show hosted by Aylana Meisel, Executive Director of the Israel Law and Liberty Forum. This series dives deep into Israel’s legal system, dissecting the most pressing legal and constitutional issues facing the nation today.🎙️ Guest: Dr. Yaacov Ben-Shemesh – Constitutional Law Scholar, Professor at Ono Academic College & Tel Aviv University⚖️ Topics Covered in This Episode:✅ The role and unprecedented power of Israel’s Attorney General✅ Why the Israeli government is moving to dismiss the AG✅ The clash between judicial activism and democracy in Israel✅ The debate over legal reform and the future of the Supreme Court✅ October 7th, the ICC, and legal challenges facing Israel’s leadership👉 Subscribe and turn on notifications to stay updated on Basic Law and Israel’s legal landscape!