Israeli Cabinet Pushes To Oust Attorney General as Political Crisis Deepens
Israel’s cabinet voted unanimously on Sunday to initiate the dismissal of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, marking an extraordinary escalation in the Netanyahu government’s campaign to remove legal officials it views as obstructive. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who introduced the no-confidence motion, accused Baharav-Miara of long-standing clashes with the cabinet that he claimed had eroded trust and hindered governance.
Baharav-Miara, 65, who was appointed in 2022 during a brief period when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was out of office, has been one of the few legal checks on executive power. Her office has challenged government policies and is currently overseeing Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial. The prime minister did not attend Sunday’s vote, citing a conflict of interest due to his trial.
In a letter to the cabinet, Baharav-Miara dismissed the no-confidence motion as symbolic and legally meaningless, arguing that her job is to uphold the law—not to provide loyalty. “The government seeks to be above the law, and to operate without checks and balances, including at the most sensitive time, a time of emergency, anti-government protests, and an election period,” she wrote.
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Legal experts say the process of firing the attorney general is lengthy and governed by a 2000 resolution requiring a statutory committee to hold hearings before a dismissal can proceed. That committee currently cannot convene due to unfilled seats.
Opposition leaders condemned the cabinet’s move. Yair Lapid called it “illegal” and said, “Today, the accused Netanyahu wants to fire his prosecutor.” National Unity leader Benny Gantz alleged the true aim was to install an attorney general who would approve controversial legislation, including efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from military service.
The no-confidence vote comes just days after Netanyahu’s government attempted to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Bar had overseen investigations into possible Qatari influence within the government, including inside the Prime Minister’s Office. The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his dismissal.
Critics say the back-to-back efforts to remove top legal and intelligence officials point to a dangerous consolidation of power within the executive branch. Supporters of the attorney general warn that replacing her could clear the way for Netanyahu to interfere with his own trial and weaken judicial independence.
