Israel’s Judicial Reforms Could Strengthen Religion’s Role in Public Life

The judicial overhaul is a central issue for the veteran deal maker’s latest administration, his sixth since his first stint as premier in 1996, and would allow his conservative allies to pass laws they have long hoped to enact but have previously been struck down by the high court or would likely be challenged by it.

Among them are laws that would grant ultra-Orthodox Jews a legal exemption from Israel’s mandatory military draft, permit gender segregation in public spaces and discrimination against LGBT people, and provide religious leaders greater control over Jewish conversions and holy sites.

The result is a growing culture clash pitting metropolitan secularists and liberal Jews against the religious right, which has seen its political influence grow over the past decade. Religious conservatives control half of the coalition’s 64 seats, with the other half controlled by Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.

“The Supreme Court has been their enemy on issues of religion and state,” said Israel Cohen, a political commentator for the ultraorthodox radio station Kol Barama. “Israel is both Jewish and democratic. But to the group of traditional faithful” that makes up Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition, “the Jewish part is more important,” he said.

Their cause dovetails with that of many on the Israeli right, even those who are secular, who believe the Supreme Court is controlled by left-wing justices despite the growing political power of the right.

Some current and former justice officials, including the current attorney general and Supreme Court chief justice, have joined the political opposition in saying the proposed judicial reforms could undermine the country’s limited system of checks and balances, in which the Supreme Court is the only completely independent branch…