Separation of Powers in United States and Israel from a Perspective of the Ongoing Debates in Both Countries. Our prior seminar addressed the fact that in both nations, very similar in terms of their robust democracy, there is a question about the role of the highest court. Is the highest court an arbiter, is it entitled to provide general guidance, or is it the judiciary of last resort. The sharp debate in Israel over legislative control over the highest court mirrors calls in the United States for judicial restraint. This ongoing debate finds its origins in the United States.