Senior Israeli Lawyers Rebel Against Bar Association, Form New Voluntary Union

A significant upheaval has erupted within the Israeli Bar Association as approximately 150 senior lawyers announced the creation of a new alternative body called the "Voluntary Bar Association of Israel." This move comes amid ongoing criticism of the Bar Association's politicization and alleged misuse of membership fees for political agendas. The new association includes prominent figures such as Eran Ben Ari, Efraim Dimri, and Nitzana Darshan-Leitner.

The rebellion was sparked by the Bar Association's consistent opposition to government policies and its political activism, highlighted by a controversial statement from Bar Association Chairman Amit Bechar, who disparaged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family as "a corrupt machine." One of the initiators, lawyer Yitzhak Netovitz, sent a sharp letter to Bechar accusing the Bar Association of prioritizing political disputes over the professional interests of lawyers.

Under current law, all lawyers must pay membership fees to the Bar Association to maintain their licenses, but critics argue these funds are being used for political propaganda. Efforts to reduce these fees, including a bill promoted by Likud MK Hanoch Dov Melibitzky, were halted by the Supreme Court in November. The new voluntary association plans to challenge the Bar Association through professional opinions and independent petitions to the Supreme Court.

The Bar Association responded by accusing Netovitz of pushing a political agenda aimed at politicizing professional institutions, similar to attempts to politicize the judiciary. Chairman Bechar expressed pride in representing the majority of lawyers and vowed to continue his work in the next term. The development signals a deep rift within Israel's legal community, with potential implications for the future structure of the Bar Association.