Opposition lawmakers: Bill giving coalition control over appointment of judiciary ombudsman will set off ‘hunting campaign’

Opposition members of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee say a bill scheduled to be passed into law today that gives the coalition control over the appointment of the ombudsman for judges would set off a “hunting campaign” against judges who rule against the government.

“This is the beginning of a hunting campaign against judges who do not get in line with the will of the government, a further step in the regime coup that is being advanced under the public radar,” say MKs Yoav Segelovich (Yesh Atid), Gilad Kariv (Democrats) and Karine Elharrar (Yesh Atid).

The legislation will create a new seven-member committee to appoint the ombudsman, who oversees disciplinary procedures against judges, on which the current coalition will likely have a majority.

The opposition alleges that the complaints and disciplinary process will become tainted by political considerations as a result, but the coalition says that under the current system judges have too much power in the appointment of the official who is in charge of reviewing misconduct claims against them.

Under the current system, the justice minister and the president of the Supreme Court must agree on a candidate, and the Judicial Selection Committee votes on their nomination.