Magistrates Muddle Messy Meeting’s Murky Move to Make Minion Minister
Israel on Tuesday came dangerously close to a constitutional crisis, with the animosity between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz reaching new and alarming heights. During a tense government meeting meant to confirm the appointment of Gantz as justice minister, a session that was ordered by the Supreme Court after months of delays by Netanyahu, the prime minister surprised attendees by bringing to a vote his own candidate. According to the amendment to Israel’s Basic Law which Netanyahu himself passed last year, such a move is illegal. Yet the prime minister, who is currently standing trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, pushed on with the vote anyway, ignoring the attorney general’s insistent shouts that he was breaking the law. An urgent Supreme Court injunction released later Tuesday night invalidated the appointment of Netanyahu’s lackey. On Wednesday, Netanyahu backed down and agreed to name Gantz justice minister until the forming of a new government.
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