Attorney general said likely to oppose ministers’ firing of Israel Postal Co. chair

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara believes ministers’ ouster of the head of the Israel Postal Company presents legal difficulties, Hebrew media reported Monday, and is unlikely to represent them in High Court petitions on the matter.

Such a step would mark the latest showdown between the justice system and the government, many of whose members have advocated for firing the attorney general.

The removal last month of Israel Postal Company chair Mishael Vaknin has drawn intense criticism from Government Companies Authority director Michal Rosenbaum, and was also opposed by some in the Justice Ministry.

Rosenbaum and the Postal Company — which is in the process of a privatization effort — have contended that Vaknin’s dismissal was politically motivated, to allow Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem to appoint government loyalists to the service’s board of directors.

The High Court of Justice has refused to issue an injunction blocking Vaknin’s dismissal, but has told the state to submit its response to the petition by Wednesday.

The Justice Ministry held a meeting Sunday to discuss the petition, the Ynet news site reported, adding that no final decision was made but that Baharav-Miara was expected to elect to not represent the ministers, due to her objection on legal grounds to Vaknin’s firing.

The attorney general spoke to Karhi and Amsalem and raised “significant” legal problems with their move, suggesting that they rethink it and saying she would find it hard to defend in court, Channel 12 news reported.

The Justice Ministry told Ynet that “the issue is being examined and no decision has been made.”

Rosenbaum has charged that Amsalem is working to make illegitimate and political appointments at dozens of government companies, leading to a showdown that has seen the minister repeatedly try to have the Government Companies Authority chief removed from office, including on Monday.

Amsalem made the request to Civil Service Commissioner Daniel Hershkowitz, accusing Rosenbaum of “aggressive and disrespectful” behavior and claiming that she disobeyed his orders and bullied employees.

Rosenbaum denied the allegations, and said Amsalem was trying to have her dismissed for her refusal to carry out his “illegitimate demands, especially in the realm of appointments and wages.”

Ynet said that, due to the disagreement, most of the necessary appointments to government companies have now been frozen. There are reportedly around 300 open positions on 70 boards of directors, with some of them unable to convene and make decisions due to the lack of a quorum.

Amsalem is a Likud lawmaker and an ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also serves as a minister in the Justice Ministry and as the minister in charge of liaising between the government and the Knesset.

The Government Companies Authority was traditionally part of the Finance Ministry, but Amsalem insisted it be moved under his control as part of the agreement he made with Netanyahu to join the cabinet.

Last month, Amsalem, who has a history of incendiary and offensive remarks, declared that Baharav-Miara was “the most dangerous person” in Israel and a clear threat to democracy, days after he called for her ouster.