Shin Bet Security Review Blocks Candidates From Sharia Court Judicial Posts for First Time

For the first time, the Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, provided a security assessment on candidates for Sharia court judgeships before their appointment votes. Following this assessment, the committee responsible for selecting Sharia judges decided not to consider several candidates. This committee operates under the Ministry of Justice and appoints judges to Sharia courts, which handle personal status and family law matters for Israel's Muslim population across the country.

The committee includes ministers Dudi Amsalem and Orit Strook, senior Sharia court judges, representatives from the Bar Association, and Knesset members Ahmad Tibi, Mansour Abbas, and Yinon Azoulai. The security review was initiated after Minister Strook demanded that Shin Bet investigate any ties candidates might have to terrorist organizations, a request supported by Minister Amsalem. Shin Bet's investigation revealed that some candidates had connections to the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, which is designated as an illegal organization.

After a heated discussion, the committee chose to disqualify these candidates and not proceed with their appointments. This is unprecedented, as security vetting for judges typically occurs only after their selection due to their access to classified information, and results are not shared with the committee before voting. The ministers' call for Shin Bet's involvement followed Strook's independent background checks during candidate interviews.

Additionally, one candidate withdrew after being questioned about social media posts, and another was rejected because a recommender was Hussein al-Tartouri, a former Hamas government minister in 2007 under Ismail Haniyeh.