Knesset Advances Split 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 Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman is splitting the bill aimed at dividing and weakening the Attorney General's role. The retained provisions will allow the government to have separate representation in the Supreme Court, prevent the Attorney General from appearing before the court, reject legal opinions, and increase oversight of the Attorney General by the Justice Minister.

Last month, the bill passed its first reading. It proposed splitting the Attorney General's powers into two roles: a Government Legal Advisor responsible for civil advice and representation, and a General Prosecutor handling criminal law exclusively. 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 "not a split but a shattering."

The coalition plans a legislative blitz before the election recess, including laws related to military exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, judicial reforms, and media freedom. Some coalition members oppose the draft law on exempting draft dodgers, fearing it could harm the Likud electorally. This opposition might affect votes on a controversial media law that could permit Sabbath desecration and government-funded pornographic broadcasts without safeguards.

Additional bills expected to advance rapidly include the Basic Law on Torah Study, gender segregation in academia, and radio regulations. A bill to establish a parliamentary inquiry committee is also slated for initial reading. Prime Minister Netanyahu is pushing these moves to consolidate his bloc ahead of elections, despite recent calls for a broad national government, which sparked political backlash.

Recently, the Knesset approved the Basic Law on Torah Study in a 63-53 vote, with some coalition members dissenting. A deal between coalition factions links advancing the media weakening bill with the kosher certification reform, illustrating the complex political negotiations underway.