Rothman Says Fair Elections Impossible Amid Heated Debate Over Splitting the Attorney General’s Role

A tense session was held Monday in the Knesset Constitution Committee, chaired by Simcha Rothman, over the implications of separating the attorney general’s post for the upcoming election period. The discussion was part of preparations for second and third readings of two bills, the Attorney General and Prosecutor General Bill (appointment, tenure, duties and powers) and a Basic Law bill on the authority to investigate and prosecute, including related amendments.

According to the committee, lawmakers were reviewing a list of legislation that mentions the attorney general, with special focus on how the proposed arrangement would affect the election period and the election process itself. Rothman, from the Religious Zionism faction, said, “The attorney general is not an objective figure, he operates with political bias, you cannot hold fair elections with a bureaucracy fighting for its life against elected officials.”

He added that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is at the center of the coming election campaign, and argued that if the Justice Ministry or Baharav-Miara take a position, they should not be involved in election matters. “Apply to yourselves the standard you impose on others,” he said. He also claimed that if someone sought to disqualify him on the grounds that he acts against a democratic state, it would be unreasonable for subordinates of the attorney general, who has said he endangers democracy, to handle the case.

Gilad Kariv of The Democrats sharply criticized the proposal, saying it would enable “complete corruption of elections and election sabotage.” He warned that the bill could silence the attorney general even before the Elections Committee and that this would endanger both basic rights in Israel and the proper functioning of the regime.