After a long struggle and a Supreme Court appeal, Justice Minister Yariv Levin informed the Supreme Court today (Sunday) that he would convene the Judicial Selection Committee within 15 days, in order to fill the vacant positions in the peace, district, and supreme courts.
According to Levin’s statement, “the Justice Minister believes that in time of war, there is no place for dealing with matters of controversy, including on the subject of judicial appointment processes. Accordingly, in order to prevent dispute, the minister will convene the Judicial Selection Committee within 15 days, and as is required in this time will present the committee with decisions based on broad consensus.”
“Better Late Than Never”
Knesset Constitution Committee Chairman Simchah Rothman said in response that he “welcomes the decision of the Justice Minister to convene the Judicial Selection Committee and lead moves based on broad consensus. I hope all governmental authorities act in this way in these days, avoiding the creation of new disputes and echoing old ones. Only together will we win, with God’s help.”
MK Karin Elharar, a member of the committee, also said she “welcomes the Justice Minister sobering up. Better late than never that we work to save the justice system which is collapsing under its burden. I expect we work energetically to appoint professional and independent judges who will work for the public as soon as possible. Especially during wartime.”
Since becoming Justice Minister, Levin has refused to convene the Judicial Selection Committee, due to the advancement of the legal reform which included a change of the committee’s makeup. Subsequently, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and the Movement for Quality in Government submitted appeals to the Supreme Court demanding the committee be convened. The matter was set to be deliberated on October 22nd, but was put off due to the war in Gaza.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara took the position that according to data provided by the courts administration, there is a need to appoint judges to many vacated positions, with a deficiency of some 53 positions expected by the end of the year, including positions that have been added. Subsequently and due to the great burden on judges in Israel, the Attorney General argued that Levin needs to convene the committee as soon as possible and not delay doing so.
On the other hand, Levin argued that “the appeals should be summarily rejected, while delivering a clear message, that the court is not the proper and authorized party for deciding matters of public-social-political controversy, and is also completely unwilling to arrogate to itself unlimited power within the committee.”
