The Media Line: High Court Blocks Israeli Government’s New Method To Fire Attorney General 

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High Court Blocks Israeli Government’s New Method To Fire Attorney General 

By The Media Line Staff 

Israel’s High Court of Justice unanimously ruled today that the government’s new procedure for dismissing the attorney general is invalid, recommending a return to the system established in 2000. The decision effectively casts doubt on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effort to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. 

The nine-judge panel said the government failed to justify its departure from the longstanding process, which requires consultation with a professional-public committee before any dismissal. The ruling directs the government to inform the court by September 14 whether it will accept the recommendation and annul Baharav-Miara’s firing. If no response is filed, affidavits must be submitted by October 30. 

The court also canceled this week’s scheduled hearing on petitions challenging her dismissal. Judge Noam Sohlberg had issued a similar recommendation in July, but the full bench’s decision gives his view greater authority. The panel, which includes a conservative majority, emphasized that it had seen “no justification” for altering the established system. 

The government’s failure to submit a defense against the petitions, described as a highly irregular move, contributed to the court’s stance. The judges also reaffirmed Sohlberg’s earlier order freezing Baharav-Miara’s removal and maintaining the binding nature of her legal opinions on the government. 

The ruling makes clear that any attempt to alter the dismissal process midstream is unlikely to survive judicial review, reinforcing the court’s role as a check on government power during a period of political tension.