Israeli court blocks government attempt to fire attorney general

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli agencies
4 Aug 2025 21:15

"Israel's" Supreme Court has blocked the government's attempt to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, while the Knesset ousted Yuli Edelstein for opposing Netanyahu’s efforts to soften Haredi conscription laws.

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"Israel's" Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara listens on as she attends a cabinet meeting at the Bible Lands Museum in occupied al-Quds on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (AP)

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation Kan reported Monday evening that the Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction halting the government’s attempt to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, following a cabinet vote earlier in the day that unanimously approved Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s proposal to immediately end her tenure. The court’s decision ensures Baharav-Miara will remain in office for now, and no replacement will be appointed pending further legal review.

This dramatic move intensifies an already volatile standoff between "Israel’s" judiciary and political leadership. Baharav-Miara, who is overseeing the corruption prosecution of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has faced increasing pressure from members of the ruling coalition. Disputes between her office and the government have included her strong opposition to the judicial overhaul plan, as well as her resistance to the attempted dismissal of the Shin Bet director earlier this year.

She declined to attend the cabinet session that voted on her dismissal, denouncing the process as illegitimate and politically motivated. The Supreme Court had previously warned the government that such a move could be considered "legally inappropriate," which led to the swift issuance of the injunction.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, sharply criticized the government’s priorities, stating, “If the draft-dodging government fought for the state’s security the way it fights against the legal adviser, October 7 would never have happened.”

Knesset removes Edelstein in dispute over Haredi conscription

In a separate but related episode of internal political reshuffling, the Knesset House Committee voted to remove Yuli Edelstein as chair of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, recommending Likud MK Boaz Bismuth as his replacement. The decision is expected to be confirmed by the full committee shortly.

The move follows Edelstein’s open defiance of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s efforts to pass a watered-down conscription bill that would exempt ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews from mandatory military service. Edelstein had circulated a far stricter draft law just hours before his removal, calling for personal and financial penalties against draft evaders, including the suspension of driver’s licenses and reduced daycare subsidies.

Edelstein, a senior Likud figure and former Knesset speaker, had also criticized Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plan, insisting that legislation of such magnitude should not move forward without dialogue with the opposition. His ouster is seen by critics as a punitive response to dissent within the ruling coalition.

Opposition leader Benny Gantz condemned the decision, stating: “It is disgraceful to remove Edelstein for political reasons.” The Gantz-led National Unity Party warned that the removal sets a dangerous precedent, weakening legislative independence and marginalizing voices critical of the coalition’s agenda.