New judicial ombudsman appointed by newly formed coalition-controlled panel

Retired Judge Asher Kula is selected by a newly formed statutory committee to serve as the state ombudsman for judges, after a year in which the position has been vacant.

Kula was first elected to serve as a judge in 2004 and served as deputy president of the Nazareth District Court from 2021 to 2024 when he retired.

The committee for appointing the state ombudsman for judges selected Kula for the post in a five to two vote, with former deputy Supreme Court president Elyakim Rubenstein and former president of the National Labor Court Varda Wirth Livne voting against.

Rubenstein and Wirth Livne believed that since the position of ombudsman has been filled until now only by retired Supreme Court judges, it was appropriate to choose one of the retired district court presidents for the post.

The committee to appoint the ombudsman was only recently formed after the government forced through legislation in the Knesset giving the current coalition an automatic majority on the panel, whereas previously the president of the Supreme Court and the justice minister would agree on a candidate who was confirmed by the Judicial Selection Committee.

Government watchdog groups have petitioned the High Court of Justice against the legislation.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who is engaged in an ongoing battle with the judiciary, welcomed Kula’s appointment, saying that the ombudsman “plays a central role in strengthening public confidence in the judicial system, through external, effective and independent oversight.”

The Judicial Authority, which represents the judiciary, also welcomes Kula’s appointment, although it adds that it was of the position during the legislative process for the new appointments system that a retired Supreme Court judge or retired district court president should fill the role.

“This is without detracting from the estimation for Judge Kula,” the Judicial Authority says in its statement, adding that it will work together with him “to strengthen public trust” in the judicial system.