Israel-Hamas war, Gaza genocide

[SvennoJ]

Israeli defence minister engaged in ‘systematic boycott’ of legal system: Top lawyer

Amit Becher, the head of the Israel Bar Association, says Defence Minister Israel Katz must “deal with security, the release of hostages, equality of burden [of military service], and reservists, and not with PR announcements for the needs of the primaries”.

Becher accused Katz of engaging in a “systematic boycott of the entire legal system and the dismantling of state institutions” in a post on X.

Becher posted the message shortly after Katz banned the military’s top lawyer, Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, from participating in the bar association’s upcoming annual conference.

Katz argued that the advocate general must focus on work “refuting domestic and foreign fabrications regarding the conduct of soldiers in the war in Gaza” rather than engaging in “political” affairs.

Netanyahu’s government has been pushing to strip away some of the authority of Israel’s judicial system and has clashed with the bar association and the attorney general on many occasions.

At the same time, the Israeli army has faced mounting cases of abuses in Gaza that could amount to war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law.

Israeli politicians continue to spar over Shin Bet appointment

Two days after Netanyahu tapped Major-General David Zini to become the next head of the security agency Shin Bet, the issue continues to divide Israeli politicians.

Betzalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister, said Zini is “suitable” for the job, saying that is “exactly what is needed now to rehabilitate this important organisation during this critical and challenging period of the war”.

“Gone are the days when the right needs approval for its appointments from the commissars on the left who think the country belongs to them,” he wrote in a post on X.

Gadi Eisenkot, an influential lawmaker and former chief of staff, told the Kan broadcaster that Zini must refuse the position because his appointment comes as a result of a “crooked process that was done for crooked considerations”.

Zini, an active duty general in the army, was dismissed from the military because he engaged in talks with Netanyahu behind the army’s back. The military later tried to walk back his dismissal, saying Zini agreed to “retire” in light of his appointment as Shin Bet chief.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the government’s dismissal of Ronen Bar as Shin Bet chief was unlawful.

Israeli opposition leader calls Netanyahu ‘corrupt, failed prime minister’

Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s left-wing Democrats party and one of Netanyahu’s fiercest domestic critics, has denounced the prime minister over a report that he is planning a budget proposal that is favourable to ultra-Orthodox parties to retain their support for his coalition government.

“While soldiers and reservists are being sent to Gaza, Netanyahu is looting their tax money and using it to bribe the ultra-Orthodox who avoid service,” Golan said in a post on X.

“Netanyahu is a negligent, corrupt and failed prime minister who sacrifices those who serve and work – just to cling to power,” Golan said. “We will replace him.”