Israeli Supreme Court Condemns Delay in Appointing National Insurance Institute CEO

The Israeli Supreme Court, led by President Isaac Amit, ruled on Wednesday that the failure to appoint a CEO for the National Insurance Institute (NII) constitutes a serious failure, especially during the current critical period. The court emphasized the urgent need to complete the appointment as soon as possible after the upcoming elections. This ruling followed a petition by the Movement for Quality Government, highlighting that the NII has been without a permanent CEO for nearly four years due to repeated unsuccessful attempts by the Shas party to appoint close affiliates lacking the necessary qualifications.

Since Meir Spiegler left the CEO position in November 2022 to lead the Israel Electric Corporation, the NII has operated without a permanent head. Shas's attempts to install affiliated candidates failed because of insufficient management experience for such a large institution, which in 2025 is expected to distribute benefits totaling approximately 130 billion shekels. The Movement for Quality Government petitioned the Supreme Court in April 2025 demanding the appointment of a CEO.

The court's decision, authored by President Amit and Justices Ofer Groskopf and Yechiel Kasher, described the absence of a CEO as a "serious failure in routine times and even more so during this critical period," referencing the tens of thousands affected by events since October 7, 2023. The court acknowledged the establishment of a search committee and the setting of eligibility criteria but left the petition pending with a scheduled update at the end of November.

Attorney Stav Lavneh-Lehav, representing the Movement for Quality Government, stated that the nearly four-year absence of a permanent CEO must end and pledged to continue advocating for a transparent, lawful, and swift appointment process to secure a suitable leader for the NII.