Acting Supreme Court chief: Justice minister harming public by holding up judge appointments

Acting Supreme Court President Uzi Vogelman criticizes Justice Minister Yariv Levin for holding up important appointments in the judiciary during a speech at the Israel Bar Association, saying his actions are impeding the ability of the courts to assist Israeli citizens.

Vogelman, who will soon be retiring from the court, also implicitly criticizes Levin’s preferred candidates for at least one of the two — soon to be three — empty slots on the Supreme Court, saying that only the most experienced and professional jurists are fit to serve on Israel’s highest court.

Levin’s two preferred candidates are highly conservative legal academics and neither has ever served as a judge.

“Without [the justice minister’s] approval or agreement it is not possible to advance many processes for the public,” says Vogelman, noting that Levin has stymied the appointment of a new president for the court, and says he has acted similarly regarding the presidents for the Jerusalem District Court and National Labor Court, as well as vice presidents and registrars for other courts.

“In addition, it is fitting that the most experienced, professional and outstanding jurists be appointed to the Supreme Court. Jurists who represent all the diversity of Israeli society. This is for one clear goal: to benefit the Israeli public as a whole,” Vogelman insists in his speech.

Levin has refused to call a vote on appointing a new president for the Supreme Court since the liberal members of the Judicial Selection Committee, which the justice minister chairs, have a majority to appoint Justice Isaac Amit as the new president, whom Levin opposes.

Levin offered to give Amit the presidency in return for the appointment of one of his two candidates, but Vogelman has reportedly refused.