Israeli Parliament Approves Splitting Attorney General Role Amid Immediate Supreme Court Challenge

The Israeli Knesset approved a controversial law on July 15, 2026, to split the role of the Attorney General into three separate positions: Attorney General, General Prosecutor, and State Representative. The bill, initiated by MK Simcha Rothman, passed in its second and third readings with a majority of 65 votes. This law restructures the current system where one official holds all legal advisory and prosecutorial powers for the government.

Minutes after the law's approval, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel filed the first petition to the Supreme Court against it. The petition argues that the law enables the government to unilaterally decide which legal opinions are valid, bypass the Attorney General by using private lawyers, and politicize the key legal watchdog role. The movement stated, "A prime minister facing criminal charges is dismantling the institution leading his prosecution. This is the entire story, and tonight we petitioned the Supreme Court to stop it."

The petition further claims the law paves the way for appointing a government-friendly legal advisor who could potentially cancel indictments, as it mandates the government to redefine appointment and dismissal procedures for the Attorney General within 30 days. This legislative move comes amid a political crisis, with the coalition rushing to change legal frameworks before upcoming elections. The Movement for Quality Government emphasized this is their third petition this week against such "coup-like" laws and vowed to continue fighting, asserting that "no one is above the law, not even the prime minister."

The law aims to distribute the concentrated powers of the Attorney General among three officials to clarify their roles and authorities. However, critics see it as a political maneuver to weaken the legal system's independence and undermine the prosecution of senior officials, including the prime minister himself.