Knesset Committee Chair Removes Deputy Attorney General from Debate on Splitting Legal Adviser Role

On Tuesday afternoon, Smotrich Rotman, chair of the Knesset Constitution Committee, removed Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon from a discussion on the proposed law to split the role of the Attorney General. The meeting included all deputy attorneys general, each addressing the risks of dividing the Attorney General's responsibilities. During the session, Limon, who serves as Deputy for Public-Administrative Law, was interrupted by Rotman while she was speaking, which led to a confrontation. Rotman questioned why another deputy, Avital Sompolinsky, had not attended the first reading of the bill, and when Limon attempted to respond, Rotman asked her to leave the meeting. MK Gilad Kariv criticized Rotman’s actions as a "disgrace" and a "destruction of the Constitution Committee," but Rotman insisted on maintaining order and repeated his request for Limon to exit.

The committee is preparing the bill for its second and third readings. The legislation aims to create two separate positions: Attorney General and General Prosecutor. If passed, the law is expected to take effect on January 1, 2027. Until then, Deputy Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara will retain the powers transferred to the General Prosecutor until her term ends in February 2028. The coalition hopes to finalize the bill before the Knesset dissolves.