Knesset committee advances bill to curb attorney general's powers

A controversial bill poised to drastically weaken the attorney general's authority and their role as a government check has been approved for final readings by the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. The coalition aims to pass the legislation this week, which would allow the government to reject the attorney general's legal opinions by deeming them inconsistent with existing law, a significant shift from the current binding nature of these positions.

“

This is a good and important law, and many others have proposed arrangements in its spirit during different governments.

This new mechanism would empower the government to unilaterally decide the legality of its own actions. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has voiced alarm, warning the legislation violates the rule of law. The advancement of this bill is the latest move by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition to diminish Baharav-Miara's authority, stemming from ongoing power struggles, particularly concerning the government's efforts to control Israel's judiciary.

“

this bill will not allow the government to throw out the attorney general’s decisions on criminal matters, as head of the state prosecution.

While the bill will not permit the government to override the attorney general's decisions on criminal matters, it introduces a process for potentially firing the attorney general. Furthermore, it would allow the government to dictate the legal positions taken in court proceedings involving government bodies, overriding the attorney general's discretion. MK Simcha Rothman, a key architect of the judicial overhaul, called the bill "good and important," while opposition MK Gilad Kariv denounced it as part of a campaign to remove governmental checks and balances.

“

this bill will not allow the government to throw out the attorney general’s decisions on criminal matters, as head of the state prosecution.