Israeli attorney general: The government's decision to dismiss me is illegal and entirely political

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated today (Monday), in her response to the petitions against the government’s decision to dismiss her, that the dismissal is illegal, entirely political, and would enable affairs like “Bar-On Hebron,” to cause irreversible damage.

“The dramatic institutional damage caused to the rule of law in Israel by the government’s decision is immediate and is already taking place simply by its adoption,” her response stated. “This is a tectonic change in the role and status of the attorney general, a change formed in an instant (…) Its impact cannot be overstated, with deep and wide-ranging consequences.”

She further wrote that “the government’s conduct in this case, where the rules were changed only after the professional committee (the Grunis Committee) failed, has led to a situation where the Ministerial Committee cannot conduct an open-minded and fair process. Under these circumstances, this is not a hearing conducted according to law, but merely a façade.”

Baharav-Miara called on the High Court of Justice to issue an interim order freezing the government’s decision to fire her, stating that “given all the flaws in the government’s decision, and in light of the immediate and severe harm to the rule of law and to the institution of the attorney general.”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin responded: “The attorney general is preventing the appointment of a Shin Bet head with claims of invented conflicts of interest, while exploiting state resources to try to prevent her own replacement, in a clear conflict of interest. The decision I initiated to establish a Ministerial Committee to conduct a hearing for the attorney general, and which is authorized to bring a proposal for her dismissal to the government, is not only legal but also necessary. I trust Minister Chikli and the committee members to complete the necessary proceedings. The government of Israel deserves legal counsel that is impartial, professional, objective and free of conflicts of interest.”