Attorney general: Under cover of war, Israel's system of government is changing before our eyes at a rapid pace

The annual conference of the Israel Bar Association continues today (Monday), with the participation of senior figures from the judicial and law enforcement systems. Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit said the judiciary is currently under political and public attack.

Amit referred to the government’s recent actions, particularly the Supreme Court petition concerning the appointment of the Shin Bet chief, claiming that, "For some time now, the judicial branch has been facing repeated attempts to undermine its independence, weaken it, and limit its ability to function independently and without interference. Judicial independence is under attack in both the public and political spheres, and sometimes even during court proceedings."

Amit criticized Justice Minister Yariv Levin for refusing to convene the Judicial Selection Committee, and again called on the minister to cooperate saying, "The Justice Minister's refusal to convene the committee increases the burden on the courts and, as mentioned, primarily harms the Israeli public. There is no justification for paralyzing the committee and eroding the system. The Judicial Selection Committee must be convened without delay and allowed to carry out its duties."

Baharav-Miara also delivered remarks and began by expressing regret over the absence of the Military Advocate General from the conference.

She also criticized the unequal burden-sharing, highlighting the lack of progress on a significant military conscription law stating that "In practice, not everyone is equal, and the basic sense of justice is severely harmed. The defense establishment has clarified its needs, and the professional level has made it clear that every regular soldier carries the burden equivalent to several reservists. A conscription law that has not yet been drafted is not a work plan and does not exempt anyone from the duty to enlist or be enlisted."

At 2 p.m., former Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer, former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and Attorney Yossi Zinger of the Israel Securities Authority are expected to join the conference.

On the first day, senior legal officials stated, as reported on Kan News, that in times of political upheaval, the Military Advocate General’s speech was critical.

These officials said the remarks, as the IDF’s senior legal authority, about the obligation to uphold the law and investigate exceptional violations could have been helpful. Accordingly, the same sources said that silencing soldiers is effectively gagging the gatekeepers. Furthermore, the IDF Chief of Staff, who approved her participation in the conference, had received a copy of her planned speech in advance.

The annual Israel Bar Association conference opened yesterday in the city of Eilat, against the backdrop of an unusual announcement by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who prohibited the Military Advocate General, Maj.-Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, from attending the event.

Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon was asked at the conference whether he was surprised by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s appointment of Maj.-Gen. David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet, despite Baharav-Miara's position.

Netanyahu emphasized, "The incoming Shin Bet chief will not be involved in any investigations related to Qatar," to which Baharav-Miara responded that Netanyahu "acted against legal advice, and there is serious concern that he did so while being in a conflict of interest."

"The court ruling speaks for itself regarding the central role of the Shin Bet chief in such investigations," Limon replied. "The prime minister himself – without authority – declared that the Shin Bet head would not deal with those cases, because he knows it constitutes a conflict of interest."

"The prime minister cannot declare on his own behalf that he is not in a conflict of interest. It’s a bit embarrassing that I even need to say this," he added.