Israeli Supreme Court Reviews Potential Dismissal of Competition Authority Head Michal Cohen

The Israeli Supreme Court is set to hold a live hearing on Tuesday with a panel of five justices to discuss the ongoing dispute over the dismissal of Michal Cohen, head of the Competition Authority. The hearing will focus on whether the Civil Service Commissioner has the authority to block a minister's request to convene the Appointments Committee to remove a senior public official, or if a preliminary legal review is required before such a committee can be convened. This case arises from Economy Minister Nir Barkat's three-year effort to oust Cohen, who was appointed in 2022 for a six-year term by then-Economy Minister Orna Barbivai.

Barkat argues that Cohen's leadership has weakened the Competition Authority, contributing to unchecked price hikes by monopolies and concentrated markets. After Cohen refused to resign following Barkat's request in May 2023, Barkat sought to convene the Appointments Committee to remove her, but the then-Civil Service Commissioner Daniel Hershkowitz rejected the request, citing insufficient factual basis. Barkat and the right-wing organization Lavi challenged this decision in court, leading to a July 2025 ruling that the commissioner must convene the committee, as he lacks discretion to block the minister's request.

The government legal advisor, Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara, filed a rare petition for a rehearing, emphasizing the need to protect the independent discretion of law enforcement officials and prevent arbitrary dismissals. The new Civil Service Commissioner Doron Cohen has not intervened since his appointment in May 2024. The Supreme Court's upcoming hearing, led by President Isaac Amit and including justices Noam Solberg, Daphne Barak-Erez, Alex Stein, and Khaled Kabub, will address the legal standards and evidentiary requirements for dismissing senior officials like Cohen.

Despite the legal battle, Cohen and Barkat have maintained professional cooperation on legislative initiatives. The case highlights tensions between political authority and the independence of regulatory bodies in Israel's public service. The court's decision will clarify the scope of the Civil Service Commissioner's powers and the procedural safeguards for removing senior public officials.

Summary: The Israeli Supreme Court will hear a critical case on whether the Civil Service Commissioner can block Economy Minister Nir Barkat's attempt to dismiss Michal Cohen, head of the Competition Authority, clarifying the legal process for removing senior public officials.

Points: - Supreme Court to decide if Civil Service Commissioner can block dismissal of Competition Authority head Michal Cohen. - Economy Minister Nir Barkat seeks to remove Cohen after criticizing her leadership since 2023. - Previous commissioner rejected Barkat's request, leading to a 2025 court ruling to convene the dismissal committee. - Government legal advisor filed for rehearing to protect independent law enforcement discretion. - New commissioner has not acted; Supreme Court panel will clarify dismissal procedures. - Cohen and Barkat continue professional cooperation despite ongoing legal dispute.

Topic: politics

Entities: {"people":["Michal Cohen","Nir Barkat","Gali Baharav-Miara","Daniel Hershkowitz","Doron Cohen","Isaac Amit","Noam Solberg","Daphne Barak-Erez","Alex Stein","Khaled Kabub","Orna Barbivai"],"organizations":["Competition Authority","Civil Service Commission","Appointments Committee","Lavi","Israeli Supreme Court"],"places":["Israel"]}