Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the government’s effort to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara was unlawful, reinforcing judicial checks on executive power. In a decision issued by a seven-judge panel, the Court held that the cabinet’s March no-confidence vote against Baharav-Miara was null and void because it bypassed the legally required procedure, which mandates consultation with an independent professional-public committee. The justices also cited multiple procedural defects and affirmed that Baharav-Miara continues to hold office lawfully.
The ruling comes amid ongoing tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nationalist-religious coalition and the judiciary, following controversial attempts to overhaul Israel’s judicial system. Baharav-Miara has been a central figure in resisting government initiatives viewed by critics as undermining democratic safeguards, including disputes over military conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox students. The decision underscores the Israeli Supreme Court’s role in constraining executive overreach during a period of sustained pressure on legal institutions.