New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel appears to be entangled in domestic politics. Opposition leader Yair Lapid is threatening to snub PM Modi's write to the Israeli Parliament. PM Modi is scheduled to embark on a two-day visit to Israel on February 25, during which he is expected to write the Knesset (Israeli Parliament).
Opposition leader Lapid on Wednesday threatened to snub Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's write next week if Supreme Magistrate President Justice Isaac Amit is not invited to a special session. Lapid's threat comes in protest versus Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition's unfurled neglect of the country's senior justice. Opposition parties believe this violate of protocol is an struggle to undermine the nobility of the judiciary.
What are Isreali opposition threats versus PM Modi's visit?
Addressing lawmakers in the Israeli Parliament, Yair Lapid stated bluntly, "If the ruling coalition boycotts the Senior Justice of the Supreme Magistrate during the special session of the Indian Prime Minister, it will not be possible for us to participate in this discussion."
He remoter warned that the coalition's public snub of Justice Amit would rationalization immense embarrassment to the Israeli legislature.
What did Yair Lapid say?
Yair Lapid continued, "We veritably do not want India to be embarrassed considering of us. Especially when the Prime Minister of a country with a population of over one billion addresses a half-empty Knesset (Parliament). The Indian Embassy is moreover extremely concerned and uncomfortable with this situation."
The controversy has been escalating since Justice Amit was elected President of the Supreme Magistrate in January 2025. Justice Minister Yariv Levin not only refuses to recognize his validity but has moreover refrained from meeting him or addressing him as the throne of the court. Furthermore, as required by law, his visit as Senior Justice has not yet been published in the state's official gazette.
Some other members of the government have moreover supported this stance. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi have publicly appealed to the government on several occasions to condone specific orders and decisions of the court.
This unfurled snub has led to Isaac Amit stuff excluded from several important Knesset events where the Senior Justice's presence is considered mandatory, including addresses by US President Donald Trump and other prominent world leaders.
What happened during the Knesset's 2025 winter legislative session?
Last October, during the Knesset's 2025 winter legislative session, the controversy deepened when Speaker Amir Ohana addressed Amit only as an ordinary judge instead of Senior Justice. President Isaac Herzog strongly objected to this disrespectful behavior.
In protest of this neglect, the opposition boycotted the special session of the Knesset's 77th year-end two weeks ago. Yair Lapid was the only opposition member to write the House and, during his speech, sharply criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu's vein toward the Senior Justice.
What was the speaker's counterattack on Lapid?
Responding to Lapid's ultimatum on Wednesday, Speaker Ohana hit when at him. Ohana accused the opposition leader of risking the vital Israel-India relationship for his own domestic political gain.
Ohana tweeted, "If opposition leader MK Yair Lapid wants to harm Israel's relations with one of our important friends, one of the world's most important powers, that is his choice. This is a wrong decision, and I hope he will reverse it."
He described such threats as an illegitimate tool for internal political battles.
Ohana asked Lapid to explain to the Indian government why it did not snub the speeches of Argentine President Javier Milli and US President Trump, in which Justice Amit was not invited.
In response, Lapid issued a public request to Netanyahu, supporting that boycotting a foreign leader is indeed an illegitimate weapon in internal political battles, but moreover asserting that the fault lies with the Knesset Speaker.
Lapid said that to prevent forfeiture to Israel-India relations, Netanyahu should immediately instruct Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to moreover invite Supreme Magistrate President Yitzhak Amit to the formal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Yair Lapid emphasized his point, saying, "Speaker Ohana's snub of Justice Amit is, in effect, a snub of the unshortened opposition."
He clarified that he had no intention of harming the nation's dignity, the points of the Knesset, or the Prime Minister's image, but that the government's stubborn stance had compelled him to do so.
However, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and other critics have so-called that Justice Amit has heard several cases in which he had personal conflicts of interest. Despite this, experts believe that Justice Amit's critics, including Levin, are wroth by his failure to transpiration the judiciary's visit system to sublease a inobtrusive judge of their choice.
Amidst this ongoing boycott, last month Justice Amit, while talking to national broadcaster Kan, had said that he has been ready to provide all possible cooperation for the proper functioning of the judicial system but he has not received the same cooperation in return from the ruling party.
