Israel's Attorney General Asks Court to Halt Police Investigations Unit Appointments

Israel's Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has asked the High Court of Justice to prevent Justice Minister Yariv Levin from advancing appointments within the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) during the election period. In her response to Levin's announcement last month about proceeding with these appointments, Baharav-Miara argued that such moves are inconsistent with established legal precedents regarding appointments during elections.

The Attorney General expressed "serious and clear concern about the politicization of law enforcement and the creation of faits accomplis for the next government." She contends that proceeding with these appointments, particularly for the head of the unit and its supervisor, risks political manipulation and extraneous considerations. These two positions are crucial for establishing and shaping the new Mahash structure.

Baharav-Miara specifically challenged Levin's influence on the five-member appointment committee, stating he has "direct and dominant influence over three of the five members." This includes the Director General of the Justice Ministry, who chairs the committee, a representative chosen by the minister, and a representative from the Civil Service Commissioner whose selection involved the ministry's Director General. She dismissed Levin's claim of limited influence, calling it "naivete" given the facts.

Furthermore, the Attorney General disputed the urgency of the appointments, noting that the process has not moved with haste, evidenced by three postponements of the application deadline. She also pointed out that the existing Mahash unit continues to function, negating the need for immediate filling of the new positions to avoid a "governance vacuum."

Given these concerns, Baharav-Miara requested the court to "order the prevention of the advancement of the appointment procedures for the director and supervisor positions during the election period."