Delhi High Court agrees to hear on Tuesday plea against closure of Jantar Mantar as protest site.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to direct the IDF not to cooperate with the High Court of Justice, in response to a ruling that mandates the state to provide additional information regarding the possibility of Palestinian residents returning to their homes in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams refugee camps.

Smotrich, who is also a member of the Defense Ministry and chairs the Religious Zionist Party, asserted that the three justices who made the decision were jeopardizing Israel's security and argued that allowing residents to return would result in the reconstruction of terrorist infrastructure in the northern West Bank. The court's decision followed a petition presented by Palestinian residents and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, noting that around one year and nine months had elapsed since the commencement of the military operation, and the state has not yet satisfied the security conditions required for residents to return to their homes.

The justices mandated the state to deliver a follow-up report addressing three matters: the schedule for completing the remaining steps necessary for residents to return to their homes, the possibility of expediting those steps, and the petitioners' assertions about deficiencies in the humanitarian aid provided to the local community.

The government had until November 23, 2026, to submit its response. The court did not mandate an immediate return of residents or instruct the IDF to withdraw from the refugee camps. In reaction to the decision, Smotrich released a statement labeled: "Strategic warning in light of the reckless High Court decision to allow Arabs to return to the terrorist strongholds in Jenin and Tulkarm."

He denounced the three High Court justices, Amit, Stein, and Kabub, for endangering Israel's security, labeling them as "irresponsible judges" who were once again limiting the IDF's capabilities and contributing to the rebuilding of Arab terrorist infrastructure in northern Samaria. Smotrich further accused the justices of being culpable for the security breaches that preceded the October 7 massacre, demanding that they be subject to investigation.

He called on the government to disregard the court's directives, maintaining that decisions pertaining to national security should be exclusively under the purview of the elected leadership, not the judiciary. Smotrich emphasized that Israel's security is not subject to judicial scrutiny and is committed solely to those who are accountable for it and were chosen by the populace for that purpose.

He reiterated his dedication to advancing reforms to Israel's judicial system to ensure the continued safeguarding of Israel's security for future generations.