Israeli High Court Faces Multiple Petitions Against Legal Adviser Split Law

Several petitions were filed to Israel's Supreme Court immediately after the Knesset approved the law splitting the role of the Attorney General on Wednesday evening. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Movement for Quality Government argued the law endangers human rights, weakens the rule of law, and dismantles the primary defense against unlawful government use of power. They described it as part of a broader regime change, allowing the government to override the Attorney General's legal opinions and bypass the official legal adviser by using private lawyers, effectively subordinating the state's chief legal watchdog to politicians.

The Movement for Quality Government called the law "another link in the regime change," warning it enables the government to decide unilaterally what is legally permissible. The Deputy Attorney General summarized the outcome as turning the Attorney General into the government's private lawyer. Knesset member Gilad Kariv, together with the Zulat Institute, also petitioned the court, calling the law "a cornerstone of the regime change" that will destroy the system of checks and balances. Kariv vowed to demand the law's annulment and to work toward removing Prime Minister Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Rotman from power.

The law, advanced by Constitution Committee Chair Smotrich Rotman and other lawmakers, is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. It codifies for the first time the Attorney General's powers, the status of legal opinions, and how the government is represented in court. Under the new law, the Attorney General will continue to provide legal advice, but the government may declare it is not bound by his interpretations except in criminal matters. The government may adopt legal positions contrary to the Attorney General's and, in some cases, be represented in court by private attorneys instead of the Attorney General's office.