Embarrassment for the coalition: A tactic used by the opposition led on Wednesday to a loss in a vote on a proposal regarding the dismissal of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The opposition members unexpectedly entered the Knesset plenum, resulting in a narrow vote: 40 MKs supported the proposal, while 41 opposed it.
MK Avichay Buaron (Likud), who initiated the proposal, said in response, "We lost. By a single vote, but we lost. However, true winners are not deterred by losses. A loss is just a stepping stone on the path to victory. I will submit the proposal again as is, word for word. Next Wednesday, we will prepare and win."
The National Unity Party stated, "We defeated the vote on dismissing the Attorney General, and we will do everything to stop the coup."
Sources in the coalition claimed in a conversation with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News that the opposition violated agreed-upon pairing arrangements in order to secure a victory in the vote. The opposition denied these allegations outright.
The discussion centered on an urgent proposal regarding "significant and prolonged disagreements between the government and the Attorney General, preventing effective cooperation," submitted by MKs Buaron, Ohad Tal (Religious Zionist Party), Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit), and Yitzhak Pindrus (United Torah Judaism).
During the debate of the proposal, Buaron said, "I initiated this proposal not for political or personal reasons but for one reason only: no government in the world can serve its citizens when the Attorney General operates in such a confrontational manner toward the government under which they serve. There are countless instances where the Attorney General restricted the government’s actions, in laws such as the Polygraph Law, the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation Law, the State Comptroller Appointment Law, the Complaints Commissioner Appointment Law, the Ratings Index Law, and spyware legislation—she opposed all of them."
Buaron added, "It is impossible to ignore the strong impression that the Attorney General is acting as an adversarial force against the government. Therefore, I call on the government to hold a discussion on this matter, initiate proceedings to remove the Attorney General from her position, appoint the professional committee headed by [former Supreme Court] President [Asher] Grunis, and select a new Attorney General with whom the government can effectively serve the citizens of Israel."
Justice Minister Yariv Levin stated, "The Attorney General has many responsibilities, including heading the prosecution system. One of her primary duties is to advise the government and help it implement its policies in accordance with the law. Let me state unequivocally: replacing or dismissing the Attorney General is a measure of last resort. Every effort should be made to avoid it. However, I must say that, in my view, the situation has reached its breaking point. It is impossible to function this way."
Levin continued, "The Attorney General's office, as it operates today, does not function to help the government advance its policies but rather to obstruct the government and ensure it cannot progress. This is an unprecedented and systemic problem, not just isolated disagreements. Since the establishment of the government, this has been a continuous issue across many topics. The Attorney General repeatedly refrains from doing the minimum required—standing against inciters and expressions of refusal to serve. She does nothing, neither in actions nor in statements. What does she do? Whenever she has a chance to make public remarks, she uses them to launch wild attacks against the government."
He concluded, "I tell my fellow ministers—there is no place for coming to the public and saying, 'Give me a mandate,' only to then say, 'I'm afraid.' If someone is afraid, they should tell that to the public. Those who choose to engage in public service must stand firm and not back down, within the boundaries of the law. If they are thinking what I am thinking about the Attorney General, they should take to the podium and say so, just as I am doing. If all coalition members act in this way, we will change the situation and achieve justice, because even within the opposition, many know we are right. I call on my fellow ministers: go to the public and speak the truth."