The new president of Israel's Supreme Court, Esther Hayut, cannot expect a moment of rest. During her inauguration at President Reuven Rivlin's residence, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked informed her that she plans to move ahead with the new judiciary law intended to reduce the power of the Supreme Court. Shaked made her calculated remarks at the festive state ceremony in a very calm tone that contrasted sharply with their content.

Shaked believes that the Supreme Court has become a political player. Her opinion is well known, as is her plan to restrict the court's authority. Of course, Shaked could have chosen to offer a much more agreeable reception for the new chief justice, but instead she decided to stick the knife in and twist as the celebration reached its climax.

Shaked spoke about how, over the past few decades, and especially since the country's constitutional revolution, the Supreme Court has, to her chagrin, become "a body that is perceived as one of the parties in each public debate. This," she continued, "has resulted in a significant decline of public trust in the institution." She then announced that she plans to advance a constitutional initiative in which the Basic Law on adopting legislation would include a new clause allowing the Knesset to pass laws overturned by the Supreme Court. As she put it, "The dramatic advantage of this dialogue will be that the Supreme Court will no longer be perceived as an active player in the political arena, with the privilege of having the last word."

Shaked essentially used Hayut's first moments on the job to inform her that she intends to charge full steam ahead with her plans to weaken the very institution that Hayut now heads.