Justice Minister Yariv Levin accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Supreme Court Chief Esther Hayut of trying to “coup a coup” on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a statement, Levin opposed a petition to the High Court seeking to compel Netanyahu to take a leave of absence. A petition filed last week by a good governance watchdog group argued that Netanyahu – in seeking to enact sweeping judicial changes – is in violation of the conflict of interest regime that prevents him from being involved in matters that affect his running. May affect corruption trial.
Levin claimed, “The attempt to oust a prime minister against the law, trampling on democratic choice, is no different from a putsch carried out with tanks.”
“The intent is the same intent, and the result is the same result. We will not allow this attempted coup, which shows how badly the judicial system is in need of reform – a reform that seeks to restore democracy and control between government officials and will restore the balance,” he said.
“This is a group of lawyers that does not respect the results of the election and is now working to stage a coup and disqualify Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” Levin said.
“It’s no surprise that the partners of this move are the same ones leading the opposition to legal reform: the left-wing organization known as the Movement for Quality Government, the attorney general and Supreme Court justices,” Levin said. , with reference to Bahrav-Mira and Hayut.
Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in court for his trial at the District Court in Jerusalem, May 17, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Eliad Shraga, founder of the Movement for Quality Government, which petitioned to oust Netanyahu, denied Levin’s claim that his organization was left-wing, saying he would be willing to test it in court.
“The movement for quality government is a movement that works to preserve the rule of law from the left and the right,” Shraga said in a statement. “The baseless allegation that it is a Left organization does not hold water. I apologize to Minister Levin for my words, or alternatively ask him to leave [parliamentary] immunity, and we’ll check if his words stand up to legal scrutiny.
coalition leader on saturday raised voice in the high court to hear the petition, claiming that even considering such a possibility by the court was tantamount to a military coup.
The petition cited controversial legislation Netanyahu’s new hardline government is pushing that would heavily curtail the High Court’s ability to strike down laws, and give politicians complete control over the appointment of judges.
The court said on Friday that Netanyahu and Bahrav-Miara would have until March 12 to present their arguments.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara at her inauguration ceremony in Jerusalem on February 8, 2022. (Jonathan Sindel/Flash90)
Recent reports in the Hebrew media claimed that Baharav-Miara was looking into the possibility of ordering Netanyahu to step down for conflict of interest violations, in light of his public remarks on judicial overhaul and purported to further it. actions supported. Those reports were denied by the Attorney General’s office.
The Movement for Quality Government said in a statement that the premier “has proven that he is unable to separate between his legal affairs and the management of the country, and is seeking to destroy democracy.”
Under a 2020 conflict of interest agreement, drawn up by then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to enable Netanyahu to remain as prime minister while still on trial, Netanyahu cannot be involved in any cases that Influencing witnesses or other defendants in the trial, or law which would affect legal proceedings against him.
Then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and then-newly appointed Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit attend the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem on June 9, 2013. (Mark Israel Salem / Pool / Flash 90)
He cannot intervene in any issues relating to the positions of top police and prosecution officials, in several areas under the responsibility of the Ministry of Communications, or in the Judicial Selection Committee, which appoints judges to the Jerusalem District Court – where His trial is ongoing – and is being conducted – in the Supreme Court, which will hear any appeals in the case.
Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases, where he is accused of fraud and breach of trust in two cases, and bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the third. He denies wrongdoing and says the charges were fabricated in a political coup led by police and state prosecutors.
The Movement for Quality Government, in its plea, acknowledged that the court has in the past ruled against taking such drastic measures. However, given the wide-ranging proposals the government is now poised to significantly curtail the power of the judiciary, the need for Netanyahu to take a leave of absence has become more urgent, it stressed.
The petition also took issue with Netanyahu’s recent decision to appoint Likud MK David Amsalem to the position of junior minister within the Justice Ministry, asking the court to stop the move immediately.
Eliad Shraga, center, a lawyer and founder of the Movement for the Quality of Government, arrives for a hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on October 6, 2022. (Jonathan Sindel/Flash90)
The Movement for Quality Government reported that Netanyahu recently met with Amslem to discuss a planned judicial overhaul, which the group said violates the premier’s conflict of interest regime.
In an interview that aired Thursday, Mandelblit warning Judicial reform was tantamount to “regime change” and would destroy the legal system.
He also accused Netanyahu of pushing for the overhaul in order to prematurely end his ongoing criminal trial, and insisted that he had the right to indict the premier despite the political instability.
Netanyahu’s coalition has prioritized a dramatic judicial reorganization that would increase the government’s control over the judiciary.
According to a poll aired by Channel 12 News on Friday, Only one in four Israelis support The government is going ahead with the proposed overhaul legislation in its current form.
Critics say the sweeping reforms, along with other planned legislation, will affect Israel’s democratic character by upsetting its system of checks and balances, give almost all power to the executive branch, and leave individual rights unprotected and minorities unrestricted. . Netanyahu has pushed back against the criticism.
