Smotrich Accuses Attorney General of Election Interference Over Housing Tender

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich has accused Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of actively interfering in the upcoming elections and working to prevent the right-wing from forming a government. The accusation stems from the Attorney General's directive to delay a tender for the construction of 1,234 new housing units in the E1 area, located in the West Bank, until after the elections.

The Attorney General's office recommended postponing the bid submission deadline by one month, effectively pushing the tender's execution past election day. This decision, according to the AG's office, aims to mitigate concerns about the tender being used for prohibited political propaganda, citing the area's unique public, political, and international sensitivity.

Smotrich, in a letter to Baharav-Miara, argued that the tender is part of a legitimate, ongoing process that began long before the election period. He demanded the immediate cancellation of the directive and the continuation of the tender according to its original schedule.

During a tour of agricultural farms in Judea and Samaria, Smotrich further alleged that Baharav-Miara is collaborating with Gadi Eisenkot, who has stated his intention to halt construction to facilitate the establishment of a Palestinian state. Smotrich urged the Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Solberg, to ensure the Attorney General and her staff do not become active participants in the election campaign, thereby aiding the left, hindering the right's ability to form a government, and potentially enabling the creation of a Palestinian state that endangers Israel.

Otzma Yehudit, a party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, echoed these sentiments, calling for a reform of the legal system and the removal of the Attorney General. They stated that the AG has repeatedly obstructed initiatives by the right-wing government, including efforts by Minister Ben-Gvir to distribute weapons, establish a national guard, and make police appointments, and now seeks to impede construction in Judea and Samaria.