Veteran Likud Legal Adviser Resigns After 30 Years, Ilan Bombach Takes Over

Likud has appointed attorney Ilan Bombach as its new legal adviser, replacing attorney Avi Halevi, who resigned after about 30 years in the post. The change follows growing disputes inside the party, including efforts to cancel the primaries and tensions over the conduct of Likud bodies and its management.

According to reporting by Now 14 political desk head Moti Kastel, Halevi submitted his resignation on Thursday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The departure came after a period of escalating internal friction, which culminated in a rift described as impossible to bridge between Halevi and the party’s senior leadership, especially the Likud CEO.

The article says the resignation followed serious accusations tied to court proceedings over the Likud convention. In a petition filed by the Social Forum of the National Labor Federation to the Jerusalem District Court, through attorney Eran Toito, the petitioners sought to cancel an interim injunction granted with Halevi’s consent in the case of Itzhak Ifragan et al. v. Likud. They alleged Halevi acted without authority when he agreed to the injunction, contrary to binding decisions of Likud’s internal tribunal.

The petition also claimed Halevi misled the court by stating that there were no additional parties to the petition, even though the original ruling had been issued jointly on several petitions by a three-judge panel in the party tribunal. The forum argued that the conduct was “extraordinary and especially serious” and could harm proper administration, public trust in Likud institutions, and the rule of law.

The Jerusalem District Court ruled that the Likud convention, scheduled for June 28, 2026, would not take place as planned. In its decision today, it issued a temporary injunction blocking the gathering after Halevi told the court he agreed to the request.