GOVERNMENT

Esther Hayut

Chief justice, Supreme Court of Israel

Esther Hayut, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Israel since 2017, has been outspoken about politicians’ criticism of judges, saying that Israel’s ongoing existence is a result of the “rule of law” that “keeps our nation together.” At a recent conference at the Israeli president’s residence to honor her predecessor, Justice Miriam Naor, Hayut warned that those who attack Israel’s independent judicial system pose a threat to democracy. “For the rule of the people not to turn into the tyranny of the people, we must promise to protect the rule of law and the rights of the individual, especially the rights of minorities,” she said. “The independent judiciary system and the responsibility of judiciary review are central building blocks of the system of checks and balances of Israeli government.” Hayut is expected to lead the court until 2023. (Photo: The Judicial Authority of Israel / CC BY-SA 4.0)