With opposition backing, Yesh Atid MK submits nomination for judicial appointments panel

Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar formally submits her nomination for next week’s election of two lawmakers to join the judicial appointments panel.

Elharrar became the opposition’s frontrunner this morning, when National Unity and Labor pulled their candidates in order to throw their weight behind Elharrar as a consensus candidate.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid staked out Elharrar as his camp’s pick in mid-May, but challenges from fellow opposition created tension among the ranks, endangering the opposition’s chance to have a seat on the panel.

Glossing over the infighting, Lapid says, “In these days when democracy is under attack, the opposition stands together to defend the judicial system.”

He says he trusts Elharrar, who is also a member of Yesh Atid’s judicial negotiations team, to “protect the Judicial Selection Committee from deals and politics.”

Elharrar says that “as an opposition representative, I am committed to acting as a loyal ambassador for strengthening democratic values and the judicial system.”