Israeli Lawmaker Clashes With Legal Advisor Over Splitting Attorney General Role

A heated debate unfolded in the Knesset's Constitution Committee between Smotrich Party MK Simcha Rothman and government legal advisor Dr. Gur Blay over a proposed law to split the Attorney General's position. The bill, which passed its first reading earlier this month, aims to separate the legal advisory and prosecution roles currently held by one official. The coalition plans to complete the legislation before the upcoming elections.

Dr. Blay criticized the bill, warning it would significantly weaken the Attorney General's ability to provide internal legal oversight of the executive branch. He argued the change would disrupt Israel's system of checks and balances, harm individual rights, and undermine the principle that the rule of law applies equally to the government and citizens. Blay described the Attorney General's role as an independent legal authority, contrasting it with political legal advisors in other countries, and cautioned that the proposed reform lacks compensatory mechanisms to maintain institutional balance.

In response, Rothman defended the bill as restoring authority to elected officials and dismissed claims it was designed to benefit current Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. He called the current unified role a "conflict of interest conglomerate" and compared the Attorney General to the absolutist King Louis XIV, labeling him a "ruthless dictator" with unchecked power. Rothman cited legal expert Professor Amnon Rubinstein, who warned that absolute power inevitably leads to corruption.

The committee is now preparing the bill for its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum, with the coalition eager to finalize the legislation before the elections. The debate highlights deep divisions over the balance of power between Israel's legal institutions and elected government.