March 24, 2025 (EIRNS)—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet voted unanimously on Sunday, March 23 in favor of a no-confidence motion against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, in a move designed by the government to hasten her dismissal from office, reported the Times of Israel. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who is spearheading the process of ousting the attorney general, said that the move was a result of what he alleged was Baharav-Miara’s “unfitting conduct” and the “substantive, and prolonged differences of opinion” between her and the government which Levin said prevented effective cooperation.
The most recent example of Baharav-Miara’s “unfitting conduct” was her insistence that Netanyahu could not fire Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, without its being reviewed by her first.
There is apparently no precedent for the firing of the attorney general. ToI says it’s unclear how long the entire dismissal process could take since it has never happened before, but it will likely be several weeks at the least. Baharav-Miara herself pointed out in a letter to the cabinet that there was no legal validity to the no-confidence motion, and said that it was merely “declarative” in nature. She also said it was born of “non-pertinent considerations,” a legal principle of administrative law that can be used by the courts to annul a decision.
“The [no-confidence] motion does not seek to advance trust, but rather loyalty to the political echelon, not governability, but rather regime power without borders, as part of a broader process to weaken the judicial branch and deter the entire professional echelon,” charged Baharav-Miara. “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 concluded.
ToI notes that the decision was roundly condemned by opposition parties, that called into question its legality, and accused Netanyahu of corrupt motivations in his effort to oust her. Opposition leader Yair Lapid castigated the government over the no-confidence motion, however, calling it “illegal” and “corrupt,” while National Unity chairman Benny Gantz accused Netanyahu of trying to fire the attorney general due to her opposition to government efforts to reinstate blanket military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.
Said Benny Gantz: “Netanyahu wants an attorney general who will allow him to bypass the High Court of Justice, step on the reservists who are enlisting for the fifth round, and anchor [military service] evasion in law.. The goal is clear: to maintain the coalition at the expense of those who maintain Israel’s security. At the expense of us all.”
