Levin rejects High Court proposal to make urgent appointments to Beersheba, Haifa district courts

Justice Minister Yariv Levin rejects the High Court of Justice’s proposal to make urgently needed appointments to the Beersheba and Haifa district courts, arguing that the short timeframe before elections are called makes it impossible to complete the necessary due diligence for evaluating candidates.

“At this time, in view of the political timetable and the need for due diligence by all members of the Judicial Selection Committee… the possibility of proceeding with the publication of names in the state gazette — and convening the committee for the purpose of selecting judges for the district courts — is not realistic,” Levin’s lawyer tells the court.

The Judicial Selection Committee, which Levin chairs as justice minister, cannot make judicial appointments after the Knesset is dissolved and elections are called.

Levin has proposed instead to appoint temporary judges to the district courts to help with the case load they face while lacking a full complement of judges.

The High Court was critical of Levin’s refusal to make the appointments in a hearing on Sunday, accusing him of proposing an inadequate solution to a problem he created.

Levin has refused to convene the Judicial Selection Committee for 16 months despite an acute lack of judges on numerous magistrates and district courts around the country.

Levin spearheaded legislation passed by the Knesset last year that greatly increases political influence over judicial appointments. That law will, however, only come into effect after the next election, which must be held by October.