Israel's Supreme Court chief suggests politicians, not lawyers, may be the problem in judge appointments

Israel’s High Court of Justice heard a full panel of 11 justices on Sunday morning on petitions challenging the Basic Law amendment that changes the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee. The expanded bench included Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, and justices Daphne Barak-Erez, David Mintz, Yael Willner, Ofer Groskopf, Gila Kanfi-Steinitz, Khaled Kabub, Yechiel Kasher and Ruth Ronen.

During the hearing, Amit referred to the role of the Israel Bar Association in the committee during the tenure of its former chairman, attorney Efi Naveh. He said, “All of attorney Naveh’s power came from the politicians. Efi Naveh alone could not have done this, without the politicians.” Amit added, “Maybe the conclusion should be the opposite. Maybe instead of removing the two representatives of the Bar Association from the committee, the two politicians should be removed.”

Justice Groskopf challenged that logic, asking why an allegation of corruption against the Bar Association should lead to its removal from the committee, and noted that there is also corruption by elected officials, including corruption proven in court, asking whether they too should be removed.

Likud lawmaker Tali Gottlieb was removed from the courtroom after interrupting the proceedings. As she was escorted out, she shouted at the judges: “You should be removed from the Judicial Selection Committee.”