From Bar Association head tossed from Knesset meeting after shouting match with lawmaker
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Israel Bar Association leader Amit Becher has been ejected from a meeting of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee following a heated argument with MK Hanoch Milwidsky.
During a discussion of a bill sponsored by Milwidsky to transfer authority over setting bar membership fees to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Becher accuses the MK’s party, Likud, of lying about his organization’s budget, sparking a shouting match across the room.
Chairman Simcha Rothman orders Becher ejected from the room, and he is removed by ushers. He is later ejected twice more during the course of the stormy debate.
ראש לשכת עורכי הדין הוצא מוועדת החוקה על ידי היו"ר שמחה רוטמן | ח"כ חנוך מילביצקי כינה את עמית בכר "עסקן סוג ז'", לאחר שהאחרון האשים אותו בשקרים. צפו @BecherAmit@Israel_Bar1 @hanochmilwidsky@rothmar @KarivGilad pic.twitter.com/IXjFwhjEGR
— ערוץ כנסת (@KnessetT) November 20, 2024
Becher last week accused Levin of using the bill to blackmail him into having the bar’s representatives vote in favor of appointing Supreme Court justices that he supports.
“Levin sent to me official representatives on his behalf who made clear that if the Israel Bar Association would cooperate with him in the Judicial Selection Committee to thwart the appointment of Isaac Amit as Supreme Court president and appoint justices to the Supreme Court whom Levin backs, the bill on membership dues will be dropped along with other legislation that will harm the Israel Bar Association,” Becher told The Times of Israel.
Levin’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
