Attorney general to High Court: Levin ‘obligated’ to convene judicial selection panel

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara says Justice Minister Yariv Levin is obligated to convene the Judicial Selection Committee owing to the large number of empty seats on court benches around the country.

Baharav-Miara states her position in the response her office files to the High Court of Justice regarding petitions against Levin that demand he convene the committee, which he has so far refused to do.

Levin’s refusal ostensibly stems from his desire to first change the composition of the key panel in order to give the government greater control over judicial appointments.

In her response, the attorney general notes that there are currently numerous judicial appointments that need to be filled. She says that by the end of the year, there will be 53 open positions if appointments are not made by the Judicial Selection Committee.

“The burden on Israeli judges is heavy and extraordinary by international standards and other parameters,” she writes.

“In light of the objective need to appoint judges, there is an obligation to convene the Judicial Selection Committee. Especially due to the fact that no timeframe at all has been presented for convening the committee.”