Israeli authorities aim to dismiss the attorney general involved in the probe against Netanyahu.
Israeli Attorney General's Resignation Blocked by Supreme Court
The Israeli government's decision to dismiss Attorney General Gal Baharav-Miara has been halted by the Supreme Court. The court issued an injunction that freezes the dismissal, preventing the appointment of a replacement and maintaining Baharav-Miara's legal authority until further notice.
The government's unanimous vote to remove Baharav-Miara, who is prosecuting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in corruption trials and investigating his advisers, has been met with opposition from the Supreme Court. The court ruled that her dismissal would be illegal and threaten democratic checks and balances.
Baharav-Miara's resignation is related to her role in the ongoing corruption case against Prime Minister Netanyahu. In her letter to the cabinet, she expressed concern that the government's decision to dismiss her could set a precedent for future governments to remove the Attorney General for political reasons.
One of the ongoing investigations under Baharav-Miara's supervision is an investigation into possible ties between Prime Minister Netanyahu's close advisors and Qatar. The court's decision means that all of her current legal rulings and investigations remain valid and active.
The firing cannot take effect until the court completes judicial review and rules on appeals against the government's action. Baharav-Miara's resignation will not take effect until the Supreme Court's decision.
This is the first time in Israeli history that the government has approved a proposal to dismiss the Attorney General. The court's decision regarding Baharav-Miara's resignation will be a significant test of the separation of powers in Israel's democratic system.
Several ministers have publicly announced their intention to ignore the legal opinions of Baharav-Miara, but the Supreme Court's intervention has highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law and maintaining the independence of the Attorney General's office.
[1] Haaretz, "Supreme Court halts government's decision to dismiss Attorney General Gal Baharav-Miara", August 2022, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/supreme-court-halts-government-s-decision-to-dismiss-attorney-general-gal-baharav-miara-1.108861974
[2] Times of Israel, "Israeli Supreme Court issues injunction against government's decision to dismiss Attorney General Gal Baharav-Miara", August 2022, https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-supreme-court-issues-injunction-against-government-s-decision-to-dismiss-attorney-general-gal-baharav-miara/
[3] Jerusalem Post, "Supreme Court halts government's decision to dismiss Attorney General Gal Baharav-Miara", August 2022, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/supreme-court-halts-government-s-decision-to-dismiss-attorney-general-gal-baharav-miara-682885
The immediate effect of the blocking of Israeli Attorney General Gal Baharav-Miara's dismissal by the Supreme Court serves as a political statement on democratic checks and balances. The ongoing investigation into ties between Prime Minister Netanyahu's advisors and Qatar, under Baharav-Miara's supervision, is a crucial point in the policy-and-legislation domain.
The halting of Baharav-Miara's resignation by the Supreme Court offers a test for the separation of powers in Israel's democratic system, with significant implications in the general-news sphere regarding the rule of law and maintaining the independence of the Attorney General's office.
