Bar Association chief: Lawyers could shut down courts if his organization is neutered
Amit Becher denounces proposal to strip legal group of its powers in favor of body that would be appointed by government as ‘thuggish, anti-democratic and absurd’
The head of the Israel Bar Association warned Saturday that lawyers could “shut down” the judicial system if parts of the government’s overhaul plans pass into law, including a Likud lawmaker’s bill to strip the legal organization of its powers and transfer them to a new government-appointed body.
Amit Becher, a vocal opponent of the coalition’s plans to overhaul the judiciary who was overwhelmingly selected as bar association chief last month, slammed the legislation sponsored by MK Hanoch Milwidsky as “thuggish, anti-democratic and absurd.”
“I’m not bothered by [the bill] because the truth will win out on this matter,” Becher told Kan news.
Becher also addressed a proposal to restructure the committee that selects judges — one of the most contentious elements of the judicial shakeup — by evenly dividing it between coalition and opposition members, which would strip the Supreme Court and Israel Bar Association of their seats on the panel. The interviewer asked how he’ll respond if both that bill and Mildwidsky’s pass.
“We’ll be in the streets and the courts together with all those who care about democracy in Israel,” Becher said. “We also have the ability to shut down the judicial system.”
“I don’t think we’ll get there,” the lawyer added, saying he was doubtful a majority of Knesset members back the measures.
Speaking later with the broadcaster, Milwidsky slammed Becher and the bar association, saying it had become “irrelevant” to most lawyers.
“Amit Becher doesn’t interest me, he’s part of the problem,” the MK added.
The comments follow the government’s decision this week to back the bill, which would end the bar’s licensing authority and its representation on the Judicial Selection Committee. Its powers would instead go to a yet-to-be-created Lawyers Council, which would be led by a district court judge appointed by the justice minister.
Milwidsky has previously said he intends to remove the section of the bill touching on the bar association’s seats on the panel, once the government moves ahead with its own separate proposal to revamp the committee.
Several months ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu froze legislation that would have granted the government broad control over the Judicial Selection Committee. But as the government is now moving ahead with the overhaul following the collapse of talks, Netanyahu is said to be planning a fresh bill in the Knesset’s winter session later this year.
The bar association’s two seats on the panel have drawn ire from the coalition, with many in its hard-right base accusing the bar of pushing liberal candidates for bench positions. Under the tenure of former bar association head Efi Nave, who was Becher’s main challenger in last month’s race, bar representatives collaborated with then-justice minister Ayelet Shaked to tap right-wing judges.
The nine-member committee comprises two members of the bar, three of the judiciary, and three politicians plus the justice minister.
