Israeli justice
Prosecutor General: Netanyahu must dismiss ministers
The court ruling is considered a heavy blow for his new right-wing religious government: Benjamin Netanyahu. photo
© Ronen Zvulun/Reuters/AP/dpa
Israel’s highest court considers the appointment of the leader of the strictly religious Shas party as interior and health minister inappropriate. How does Netanyahu react to the verdict?
Israel’s attorney general has ordered re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sack one of his key ministers following a ruling by the Supreme Court. Netanyahu must comply with the landmark ruling and remove Interior and Health Minister Arie Deri from his posts, Gali Baharav-Miara wrote in a letter, according to media reports.
On Wednesday, the highest court declared the appointment of the leader of the strictly religious Shas party as minister “inappropriate”. The judges justified their judgment with the repeated conviction of Deri. They also stated that in 2021, Deri pledged to withdraw from politics in a court case for tax evasion. Netanyahu has not yet officially responded to the verdict. It is considered a heavy blow for the new right-wing religious government.
Deri’s appointment was a key demand by the Shas party in the coalition talks with Netanyahu. Party members have already threatened to leave the government if Deri were to lose his post. The party holds 11 of the governing coalition’s 64 seats in parliament. The new coalition had specifically amended a law so that Deri could become a minister despite his conviction.
It is feared that the verdict could fuel the dispute in Israel over reforms of the judicial system. The new justice minister, Jariv Levin, said he would “do whatever is necessary to right the wrongs against Deri.” A few weeks ago, he had already presented plans for the targeted weakening of the Supreme Court. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets against the plans.