Supreme Court Justice Accused of Shielding Anonymous Petitioners Against Shin Bet Chief

The Israeli Supreme Court is facing scrutiny over its handling of a request by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to reveal the identities of former security officials who petitioned against his appointment. Despite a previous ruling stating Bar is entitled to this information, the names have not been disclosed, leading Bar to file a contempt of court petition.

The article alleges that Justice Yitzhak Amit is actively obstructing the disclosure, questioning why the court would protect anonymous petitioners, especially when there's no apparent danger to them or national security from revealing their identities to the head of Israel's internal security agency. The author suggests this protection is unusual, as legal norms generally require petitioners to be identifiable, with anonymity granted only in extreme circumstances.

It is further claimed that the petitions against Bar lacked substantive legal grounds and were part of an effort to derail his appointment, accompanied by negative media campaigns targeting his family. The article criticizes the court for not dismissing these petitions outright or imposing costs on the petitioners, instead allowing them extensive time to present their case.

The author posits that Justice Amit, who reportedly opposed Bar's appointment, is now protecting the anonymous petitioners because they served his perceived agenda by challenging Bar. This is framed as a pattern of the Supreme Court expanding standing rights, allowing ideologically aligned groups to file numerous petitions without consequence, while being stricter with opposing groups.

The piece concludes by suggesting that the court's willingness to engage with and protect these petitioners stems from their role in enabling the court to rule on significant national issues, implying a symbiotic relationship where the court benefits from the petitions and thus shields the petitioners.