As decided last week, the government held a meeting on Sunday and approved the initiation of proceedings to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

The cabinet also approved the proposal of Justice Minister Yariv Levin regarding a change in the procedure for dismissing Baharav-Miara. The change allows the Attorney-General to be dismissed by a special ministerial committee without the requirement to consult the selection committee that appointed her.

Immediately upon approval, Levin sent a letter to the ministerial committee asking it to hold a hearing for Baharav-Miara and then issue a decision on dismissing her.

The committee is comprised of representatives of the coalition parties, including its chairman, Minister Amichai Chikli (Likud), Minister Betzalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist party), Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit), Gila Gamliel (Likud), and Michael Malchieli (Shas).

Since the UTJ party announced its intention to dissolve the Knesset, it will not have a representative on the committee.

Earlier on Sunday, the Attorney General’s Office issued an angry legal opinion on the change, claiming  that “the government’s hasty decision to change the method of termination of the Attorney General’s tenure is illegal and contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling.”

She also claimed that the new procedure “politicizes” the position.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)