Movement for Quality Gov't files motion against Levin after committee's discussion inconclusive

A motion for contempt was filed against Justice Minister Yariv Levin by the Movement for Quality Government, the organization said on Thursday, after the discussion conducted at the Judicial Selection Committee was inconclusive.

The organization said it had filed the motion after the minister had contravened a ruling issued by the Supreme Court, which required Levin to summon the Judicial Selection Committee, which would elect a new president of the Supreme Court. 

Earlier this week, Levin's office announced that there would be no vote to appoint a permanent chief justice at the Thursday meeting. Such a move is in breach of a High Court of Justice ruling dating to September 8, requesting that Levin “convene the committee for the purpose of electing a chief justice.”

Since former chief justice Esther Hayut retired in October 2023, former justice Uzi Vogelman and Justice Isaac Amit have served as interim chief justices.

The role is traditionally filled by the longest-serving member, currently High Court judge Yitzhak Amit. However, Levin opts for Justice Yosef Elron, a more conservative choice, arguing that choosing in accordance with "seniority" is not always applicable. 

As such, Levin has failed to convene the committee, preventing Amit, who holds a majority in the committee, from being elected. 

The movement further stated it had requested the court to sanction Levin until he abides by the ruling and asked that a discussion be conducted on the subject. 

"The justice minister is leading the State of Israel to a dangerous situation where the rule of law becomes a mere recommendation. He should face heavy fines and even imprisonment," Chair of the movement, advocate Dr. Eliad Shraga noted. 

"We are witnessing unprecedented conduct from the minister of justice, who consciously and deliberately chooses to violate an express ruling of the Supreme Court," he further said, adding, "This is a serious violation of the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers. A country where a governmental authority takes the law into its own hands - when it chooses to uphold a judicial order issued against it and when it chooses to ignore it - is a country where the seeds of calamity and anarchy are sown. We cannot accept this situation."

Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar, member of the Judicial Selection Committee, said that Levin was "diverting the discourse" from the matter at hand. 

"If he were genuinely interested in transparency, he would at the very least publish the protocols of the discussions that have already taken place," she asserted. 

"Therefore, the choice to stall and dedicate an entire session solely to his demand for broadcasting the committee is a smokescreen and a distraction aimed at continuing to advance the judicial overhaul and undermine the status of the judicial system."

Conflict of interest

During the committee's discussion, Levin told Amit that he was under a conflict of interests since he had put forward his name to be selected as chief justice but was also dealing with the committee's agenda, Israeli media reported.

Amit later stated he had responded to Levin, "I am not referring to my personal choices, but to general issues concerning the public good—for example, the failure to convene the Judicial Selection Committee."

"We are a service-providing system, and this harms the public."

Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.