High Court dismisses petition to convene judge selection panel, after it convened last month

The High Court of Justice has dismissed a petition demanding that Justice Minister Yariv Levin convene the Judicial Selection Committee, after the panel met last month, even though no new judges have been appointed and no new permanent chief justice has been tapped.

The committee convened on November 16,for the first time since April 2022, and set out a timetable for future hearings to fill dozens of open positions on courts around the country, including the Supreme Court.

Levin, who chairs the committee, had refused to convene the panel since taking office in January, due to his desire to change its composition, in order to give the government control over appointments.

But petitions to the High Court against his stance and the fact that so many positions on courts around the country are empty seemingly forced his hand to convene the panel.