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Yitzhak Amit (Hebrew: יצחק עמית, born Yitzhak Goldfreund Hebrew: יצחק גולדפריינד; 20 October 1958) is a judge on the Supreme Court of Israel and serves as the President of the Supreme Court of Israel since 13 February 2025. Amit is widely considered as a liberal justice and has had a major impact on the Supreme Court.[1][2][3][4]
Amit was born and raised in Tel Aviv. He attended a religious high school and graduated in 1976. He served in the Israel Defense Forces as an officer in Unit 8200, and was discharged in 1980. In 1981, he began studying law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Laws in 1985.[5]
Amit was granted a license to practice law in 1986 and worked as a lawyer in private practice.[6]
In 1997, he was appointed a judge on the Acre Magistrates Court, and subsequently a judge on the Haifa Magistrates Court. He then became a judge on the Haifa District Court.[7] He was elected to the Supreme Court in August 2009, and took office in October 2009.[7]
In 2023, Amit was expected to become President of the Supreme Court, following Esther Hayut's retirement.[8] However, due to the objection of the Minister of Justice, Yariv Levin, Uzi Vogelman became acting President of the Supreme Court of Israel from 16 October 2023 until he stepped down reaching retirement age on 1 October 2024.[9]
Amit became the acting President of the Supreme Court of Israel after Uzi Vogelman stepped down, until a permanent president was appointed by the Judicial Selection Committee.[9] Justice Minister Yariv Levin blocked the accession of Amit as permanent president who was nominated based on the long-standing seniority-based convention, arguing he possesses discretion regarding the committee's convening, the identity of the candidates to be presented for a vote, and the timing of such a vote,[10] but was forced to call a vote following an unanimous High Court decision in 2025.[11] Amit was thereafter appointed President on 26 January 2025, and sworn in on 13 February 2025 by Israeli president Isaac Herzog with Levin boycotting the inauguration, and subsequent meetings in what has been branded as a constitutional crisis.[12][13]
Amit is widely seen as a liberal judge who in his rulings has defied the government on numerous issues relating to its efforts to overhaul the judiciary, also ruling frequently to uphold civil and human rights in general.
Liberal Justice Isaac Amit faces a constitutional crisis, questionable government appointments and war-related petitions – all while Justice Yariv Minister Levin refuses to formally appoint him as president
The proposal simultaneously expressed the government's opposition to the rule whereby the most senior judge is automatically promoted to chief justice, and to Amit, who is considered a liberal.
Amit, who was installed as Supreme Court president last month following more than a year of delay, is a liberal justice.
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