Netanyahu to Supreme Court: Don't interfere in ministerial appointments

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening submitted his response to petitions filed with the Supreme Court against the continued tenure of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

“The petitions must be dismissed outright, or alternatively, rejected on their merits. This is primarily due to the complete absence of any legal grounds for such an extraordinary and extreme intervention in the foremost constitutional act - the formation of the elected government, as determined by law through the Knesset, the government, and its leader. Such intervention would carry anti-democratic implications, undermining the separation of powers, principles of proper governance, the law, and judicial precedent,” the response stated.

It further noted, “The Honorable Court must not accede to petitions that seek to establish a precedent of judicial interference in the appointment of government ministers based on ideological opposition to the policies advanced by the minister.”

“The petitions before us are nothing more than an unconstitutional attempt to remove a government minister and must be dismissed outright,” the response submitted to the Supreme Court declared.

Earlier on Sunday morning, Minister Ben Gvir attacked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who hinted that she would not defend the Prime Minister’s decision not to act against Ben Gvir, as she had demanded.

“Gali Baharav-Miara is a criminal who obstructed investigations in matters where the Supreme Court ruled she had a conflict of interest. She fabricates cases against elected officials, openly works to stage a coup against a democratically elected government, to annul laws, thwart decisions, and block appointments. And now, the pinnacle - an attempt to dismiss elected officials,” said Ben Gvir, adding, “I will not be deterred from continuing to fulfill my duties as minister, to stand behind soldiers and police officers - which greatly angers her - and I will not rest until her actions are investigated. Israel will not become a mafia state.”