Israeli High Court to government: Reverse the dismissal of attorney general; Justice minister responds: 'Only the government will decide who its legal advisor is'

The Israeli High Court of Justice on Monday canceled a scheduled hearing on the government's firing of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, which had been set for Wednesday.

All nine justices proposed that the government withdraw its attempt to remove her and instead follow the standard procedure via a professional committee. The court also stated that the government did not present any justification for deviating from the accepted dismissal process.

The justices issued a conditional order after the government failed to submit its response to the court ahead of the scheduled hearing. All nine justices emphasized that the attorney general's status must not be harmed, nor should her ability to perform her duties be impaired.

The hearing was canceled to give the government an opportunity to reverse its decision to dismiss Baharav-Miara. If the government does not withdraw the decision, it will be required to submit a formal response, and the hearing will be held at a later date.

The judges ruled that the government cannot dismiss the attorney general in this manner and must instead follow the standard procedure that has been in place for the past 25 years – via a professional committee. The ruling was adopted unanimously by the expanded panel of justices, including some of the court's most conservative members.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin harshly criticized the order and essentially declared he would not comply with it..,

"The government – and only the government – will decide who its legal advisor is," Levin said.

“No judicial order can compel cooperation where there was none – and where there will be none – with Baharav-Miara.”

The decision also states that the interim injunction issued by Justice Noam Sohlberg on August 10, which froze the dismissal of the attorney general, remains in effect.

The judge wrote, "The government's decision to dismiss the attorney general shall not take effect, in all that it implies, until a different decision is issued."

On Saturday, KAN News reported that the government would submit a written response only to the High Court regarding the dismissal, and no representatives would attend the hearing – not even a private attorney on behalf of the government.

A senior source told KAN that the unusual move was intended to signal to the court the severity of the rift between the government and the Supreme Court.