Movement for Quality Government Files Supreme Court Petition Against Attorney General Split Law
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
The Movement for Quality Government petitioned Israel's Supreme Court to annul the newly passed Attorney General Split Law, arguing it undermines legal oversight and serves political interests. The petition claims the law enables the government to bypass the Attorney General, driven by a criminally indicted Prime Minister. This follows a recent court injunction suspending another controversial law, highlighting the opposition's reliance on the judiciary amid political turmoil.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The Movement for Quality Government petitioned the Supreme Court against the Attorney General Split Law.
- The law allows the government to override the Attorney General's legal opinions using private lawyers.
- The petition claims the law serves a criminally indicted Prime Minister's interests.
- The law mandates redefining Attorney General appointment and dismissal within 30 days.
- This is the third petition this week against rapid coalition legislation lacking public mandate.
- Earlier, the Supreme Court suspended a recently passed detention law following similar petitions.
Shortly after the Knesset passed the Attorney General Split Law by a large majority, the Movement for Quality Government submitted a petition to the Supreme Court demanding its cancellation. The petition argues that the law is part of a broader constitutional coup, allowing the government to override the Attorney General's legal opinions by appointing private lawyers, effectively subordinating the state's chief legal watchdog to political interests. The deputy Attorney General warned that this would turn the Attorney General into a private lawyer for the government. The petition highlights that the law also mandates the government to redefine the appointment and dismissal process of the Attorney General within 30 days, paving the way for political control. The Movement accuses the initiative of being driven by a criminally indicted Prime Minister seeking to dismantle the institution overseeing his prosecution, hoping to appoint a compliant legal advisor to annul his indictment. This legislative push occurred in a rapid coalition maneuver lacking public legitimacy, with elections imminent and the coalition attempting to restrict the next Knesset's authority. This is the third petition filed this week against such "fast-track" laws, with the Movement pledging to continue fighting for the law's annulment to uphold the rule of law. Earlier the same day, following petitions by the Movement and the Yesh Atid party, Supreme Court Justice Grosskopf issued a conditional injunction suspending the application of a recently passed detention law. The opposition in Israel increasingly relies on the Supreme Court, which has overturned more laws this term than the 52 opposition MKs combined in the Knesset's left-wing faction.
