Israeli Supreme Court Orders Netanyahu to Justify Not Replacing Acting PMO Director Steinmetz

The Israeli Supreme Court issued a conditional order in response to a petition by the Movement for Integrity demanding the termination of Drorit Steinmetz, a close associate of Prime Minister Netanyahu, from her role as acting director-general of the Prime Minister's Office. The court instructed Netanyahu to appear and explain why he has not appointed a different acting director-general.

Following the petition, the State Attorney's Office announced that Steinmetz's term could not be extended due to her being a suspect in charges of fraud, breach of trust, and aggravated fraud related to a case involving Minister May Golan. Given these allegations, the request by Netanyahu to appoint her permanently to the position was rejected.

This development highlights ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding appointments within the Prime Minister's Office and the implications of alleged misconduct by senior officials close to Netanyahu. The court's order compels Netanyahu to provide justification for his personnel decisions amid these controversies.