From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Levin yet to call meeting of Judicial Selection Committee to appoint new Supreme Court president
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
Justice Minister Yariv Levin has yet to call a meeting of the Judicial Selection Committee to appoint a new Supreme Court president, despite the evaluation period for candidates ending tomorrow.
The court ruled in September that after refusing to call a vote for a new president for almost a year, the justice minister was obliged to do so and could no longer assert a de facto veto over the process.
In an act of defiance, Levin nominated all 12 sitting justices for the role on September 22, starting a 45-day evaluation period, only after which can a vote be called.
The court ruled that Levin must convene the Judicial Selection Committee to make the appointment “shortly after” the end of the 45-day period, meaning the justice minister could drag his feet further on calling the vote.
“Every extra day that the legal system goes without a permanent [Supreme Court] president its stability is harmed and so too its proper functioning,” Yesh Atid MK and committee member Karine Elharrar writes to Levin, calling on him to convene the committee as quickly as possible.
Former Supreme Court justice Uzi Vogelman served as acting president in the year since former president Esther Hayut retired in October 2023, but himself retired at the end of this October and was succeeded by Justice Isaac Amit as acting president. Amit, whom Levin opposes, is likely to be appointed permanent president when a vote is called.
