There is no restriction on Justice Minister Yariv Levin or on Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can not involve himself in the legislation of the judicial reforms proposed in January, Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara stated in a letter to Netanyahu on Thursday morning, as it would be a conflict of interest with his ongoing corruption trials.
Baharav-Miara said that the decision applies to direct or indirect actions by Netanyahu to advance the reforms. There is no restriction on Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who introduced the proposed reforms at the beginning of January, and Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman, who is spearheading the process.
In the letter to Netanyahu Baharav-Miara said that she wished to avoid reasonable fears that the reforms were a conflict of interest in Netanyahu’s three ongoing corruption trials.
Baharav-Miara recently confirmed that the 2020 conflict of interest agreement organized by her predecessor to condition Netanyahu’s formation of a government was still in effect.
Coalition MKs and ministers were quick to respond to the attorney general’s letter, with coalition chairman MK Ofir Katz calling it “a complete absurdity,” and an attempt to silence the government.
“This is further proof of the necessity of the reform that will restore democracy to Israel in the face of legal tyranny,” he added.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir[also sharply criticized the letter, saying that “the attorney general is trying to threaten the Prime Minister and the government of Israel.
“Threats do not change policy and the government will not fold,” he continued. “If you want dialogue, that is legitimate, but you must understand that such threats only encourage the government to pass the reform as quickly as possible.”
The deal held that Netanyahu was restricted in his prime ministerial powers on matters of legal and law enforcement authority appointments.
Provisions of the planned reforms would change the selection committee for judges to give politicians a majority and change the legal opinion independence of government legal advisors.