Former Supreme Court judges interviewed in the media in the past few days have been attacking the idea that Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party be allowed to control the Justice Ministry and appoint Professor Daniel Friedmann to another term as Justice Minister.
Israel News photo / Flash 90
In addition, the Hebrew daily newspaper Ma’ariv reported Tuesday that retired Supreme Court President Aharon Barak and other former senior judges have asked Labor leader Ehud Barak to join the Netanyahu coalition in order to prevent Friedmann from being appointed. Barak denied the report.
Yisrael Beiteinu chief Avigdor Lieberman was angered by the judges’ behavior, which he called “a blatant intervention by the judicial branch in the activities of the executive branch.”
“I heard [former Supreme Court judges] Mishael Cheshin and Prof. [Yitzchak] Zamir and other judges talking about this subject,” he said. “I think this is simply not a healthy matter for the State of Israel."
'Let the judges run for Knesset'
“It’s not a personal matter,” Lieberman explained. “This is a matter of principle. The matter of principle is that Friedmann is unfit because of his views. It’s not clear how a person can be deemed unfit when he is worthy and erudite, an Israel Prize laureate in legal science. Can he be found unfit because of his outlook?”
Resorting to irony, Lieberman recommended that the former justice officials form a party and run for Knesset. “Let them run if they want to have influence,” he said.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also came out in support of Friedmann. “What the judges or retired judges are doing today, if they are indeed interfering in the political arena, is unworthy,” she said. Speaking on Voice of Israel government radio, Livni said, “Of course Friedmann is worthy of being Justice Minister.”
Ma’ariv’s report appears to be corroborated by very broad hints dropped by Ehud Barak Monday at his party’s faction session. “People from the financial and social world, as well as retired judges, the most senior and important ones – I repeat, the most important ones – are imploring us to join the government,” Barak said.