Israeli Government Legal Advisor Urges Restraint in Non-Essential Decisions Ahead of Elections

At the weekend, Israeli Government Legal Advisor Gali Baharav-Miara sent a letter to Government Secretary Yossi Fox demanding restraint in the government's decision-making on non-critical matters during the election period. She emphasized that following the official election announcement, the government becomes a caretaker administration with limited powers and must act differently than a regular government. Baharav-Miara stated that the caretaker government is obligated to exercise restraint and only act urgently or out of necessity.

She instructed ministers and authorized bodies to consult the government legal advisor before making decisions not related to routine management, with the level of necessity determining the degree of restraint required. In the coming days, she plans to issue detailed guidelines prohibiting specific decisions, especially concerning election-related economic measures. These guidelines will cover government decisions, appointments, and international agreements.

The government anticipated such guidelines and, despite public claims questioning Baharav-Miara's authority, recognizes that the Supreme Court views her directives as binding. This context explains Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent push to finalize key appointments, including new heads for the Shin Bet and Mossad. However, his attempt to appoint Michael Regev as State Comptroller was blocked by the Supreme Court, and he chose not to resubmit the nomination to the Knesset.

The letter also highlights restrictions on election-related economic initiatives, forbidding measures perceived as attempts to sway voters before the election date. Examples include proposals to reduce VAT, subsidize mortgages benefiting the ultra-Orthodox sector, subsidize gasoline prices amid expected increases, or provide targeted support such as food vouchers to Shas party voters.