Israeli government votes to dismiss attorney general: Reports
Israel’s cabinet ministers have unanimously approved the firing of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara – a prominent government critic – according to Israeli media reports.
The dismissal will not take effect until after Israel’s High Court decides on the process’s legality, according to The Times of Israel. But ministers say they plan to leave Baharav-Miara out of future hearinsg and committee meetings.
Baharav-Miara has been leading the prosecution of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during his corruption trial.
Following the vote, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi urged for a replacement to avoid “a governmental vacuum to be filled with mounds of unfounded legal interpretations”.
Israeli court suspends dismissal of attorney general
The High Court of Israel has issued an interim order that freezes the the government decision to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, according to Israeli media reports.
In a decision that came right after the governments move, the court clarified that the government cannot strip Baharav-Miara from her authorities, the report said.
What is Netanyahu on trial for?
As we reported earlier, Israel’s government voted today to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is heading a corruption trial against PM Benjamin Netanyahu. The controversial move has since been frozen by Israel’s top court.
Nevertheless, it has sparked accusations that Netanyahu is trying to shield himself from accountability. So what exactly is Netanyahu on trial for?
- The Israeli prime minister is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, including for allegedly taking lavish gifts from businessmen in return for political favours and striking policy and regulatory deals for more favourable news coverage.
- Facing up to 10 years in prison, Netanyahu has been accused of dragging out and even exacerbating the Gaza war to avoid the trial, which began in 2020.
- However, US President Donald Trump has come to Netanyahu’s defence, urging Israel to pardon him and calling the prosecutors targeting him “out of control”. Trump has even suggested the US could leverage its aid to Israel to protect Netanyahu.
- The latest standoff has raised the prospect of a constitutional crisis, as critics accuse Netanyahu of continually using his executive powers to stall the trial.
Israel’s justice minister says attorney general not wanted
Yariv Levin has said Gali Baharav-Miara should resign, accusing the attorney general of trying to “force herself” on a government that does not want her.
The statement comes after a unanimous cabinet decision to dismiss her from office, which was frozen by an interim order by the Israeli High Court in the last few hours.
“It would be appropriate for you to refrain from an attempt, which will not succeed, to force yourself on a government that has no confidence in you and which cannot effectively cooperate with you,” Levin told Baharav-Miara in a letter cited by The Times of Israel.
“This is how anyone who puts the good of the country and the management of its affairs before their personal interests, and who respects the elected government and proper and democratic governance,” he added, according to the report.
Members of the Israeli government have denied the effort to remove Baharav-Miara is connected to her role in prosecuting Netanyahu’s corruption case.
Terminating my tenure against law: Israeli attorney general
Gali Baharav-Miara has responded to the government’s move to dismiss her, a move which, as we reported earlier, has been paused by the Israeli High Court.
“The government’s decision just made to terminate my tenure violates the law,” she said as quoted by the Yedioth Ahronot newspaper .
She added that “political pressures and actions contrary to law will not deter us from continuing to perform our duties with statesmanship, professionalism and integrity”.
“We will continue to assist the government in advancing its policies in accordance with the law, enforce the law equally and uphold the rule of law,” she said, according to the report.
