Israel’s new Supreme Court building, described by the court’s president as “the most beautiful building in Israel,” was inaugurated here Tuesday.
It is the new Israeli Supreme Court, whose costs were enabled.
Court President Meir Shamgar rejected criticism of the large sum invested in the building, in comments made at a rare news conference.
Shamgar said it should be remembered that the building, enabled by a donation of several million dollars from the Rothschild Foundation, remains for the use of future generations. “This building expresses the power of the law,” he said, “while giving the citizens who come here the feeling” that “they are being considered.”
The new building is located adjacent to the Knesset and government offices, so that there is now one site representing the three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial.
The new edifice replaces an old building at the Russian Compound in downtown Jerusalem, which served as Israel’s Supreme Court since the early days of the state. The new building has five courtrooms, the largest of which can accommodate 150 people.
Shamgar expressed hope that this new building will signal the start of a rehabilitation of facilities serving the entire judicial system, whose physical limitations have become an increasing problem over the years.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
