Knesset advances law to give coalition control over appointing judicial ombudsman

A bill that would likely grant the coalition control over the appointment of the ombudsman for judges is approved by the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee for its final readings to pass it into law.

The bill will create a seven-member committee to appoint the ombudsman, who has substantive oversight powers over judges and investigates complaints against them, on which the current coalition will likely have an automatic majority.

Committee member MK Karine Elharrar of Yesh Atid denounces the legislation, and accuses the coalition of carrying out a “regime coup in the shadow of war.”

Elharrar claims the law is designed to “take control of judges and leave them intimidated, and dependent on the coalition.”

“This is a political takeover of the committee which appoints the judges ombudsman, the battle for democracy won’t end here,” she adds.

Under the current law, the judges ombudsman is selected by the Judicial Selection Committee, after the justice minister and the president of the Supreme Court agree upon a candidate. But Justice Minister Yariv Levin has refused to meet with the Supreme Court president since last June, meaning that a new ombudsman could not be appointed. The last ombudsman, Uri Shoham, retired in May.