Levin initiates proceedings to oust AG, in move likely to spark massive backlash

Justice Minister Yariv Levin initiates proceedings to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara from office and accuses her of having politicized her office to thwart the will of the government, in a move which will likely spark huge political backlash.

Levin, who has long threatened to take action against Baharav-Miara, sent letters to the Knesset speaker and the cabinet secretary, instructing them to fill the empty positions on the statutory committee for appointing, and dismissing, the attorney general.

Levin sends an additional letter to the cabinet secretary asking him to put the attorney general’s dismissal on the government’s agenda, and asking him to set a date in short order.

“The attorney general acts as the long arm of the government’s opponents, and spares no effort to thwart the will of the voter,” writes Levin in his motion to dismiss Baharav-Miara.

“She has used the political divide in Israel as a spade to dig out two legal systems — one for the government’s supporters and the other for its opponents.”

The attorney general has repeatedly opposed the government on its proposed legislation, appointments and actions, arguing on numerous occasions that the measures taken by the government contravened the law and undermined the rule of law in different ways.