Knesset Committee Chair Splits Bill to Weaken Attorney General Amid Election Countdown

With less than two weeks until the Knesset dissolves for elections, coalition lawmakers are accelerating legislative processes. Smotrich, the chairman of the Constitution Committee, Smotrich, has decided to split the controversial bill aimed at weakening the Attorney General's powers. The retained parts of the bill will allow the government to have separate legal representation in the Supreme Court, prevent the Attorney General from appearing before the court, reject legal opinions from the Attorney General, and increase oversight of the Attorney General by the Justice Minister.

The original bill, approved in a preliminary reading last month, proposed dividing the Attorney General's role into two separate positions: a Government Legal Advisor responsible for civil advice and representation, and a General Prosecutor responsible exclusively for criminal law and prosecution. It also stipulated that the Attorney General's term would be tied to the appointing government's tenure, allowing dismissal over disagreements. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara strongly opposed the bill, calling it a "shattering" rather than a splitting of the role.

Ahead of the election recess, the coalition plans a legislative blitz, including laws on military conscription, judicial reforms, and free media, many tied to agreements between Prime Minister Netanyahu and ultra-Orthodox parties. For example, a kosher certification reform promoted by Deri and Smotrich is expected to create thousands of jobs and proceed to further readings. Meanwhile, a bill freezing arrests of draft dodgers faces significant coalition opposition, with some members viewing these moves as electoral sabotage against Likud.

The contentious draft dodger arrest bill may affect ultra-Orthodox parties' support for a media law proposed by Karei, which could permit Sabbath desecration and state-funded pornographic broadcasts without current safeguards. Other bills, including a Basic Law on Torah Study, gender segregation in academia, and a radio law, are also slated for rapid advancement. Netanyahu is pushing these measures to solidify his political bloc despite recent calls for a "broad national government," which sparked widespread political reactions.

The Knesset recently approved the Basic Law on Torah Study in a close vote, with some coalition members dissenting. Additionally, a deal between Karei and ultra-Orthodox factions links the media weakening law's progress to the kosher reform. These legislative maneuvers underscore the coalition's urgency to pass key laws before the election break.