Eight presidents of research universities in Israel are threatening to strike and protest if Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is fired.
Among the signatories are the presidents of the Hebrew University, the Technion in Haifa, and Tel Aviv University.
In a public letter, the presidents warned of "an unprecedented danger to the rule of law if the Attorney General is fired. In the rule of democracy that prevails in Israel, the attorney general is the most important gatekeeper against possible infringement by the government on the civil and individual rights of the country's residents."
They added: "If she is fired, we will declare a strike. We will go out to protest against the move and call on others to do the same."
On Wednesday, Justice Minister Yariv Levin contacted the Cabinet Secretary to promote a motion of no-confidence in the Attorney General. In practice, this is the opening of an impeachment process against the Attorney General, the first stage of which involves a government session to express no confidence.
The government will then turn to the committee assigned to locate a new candidate for the position of Attorney General, to express its position, and then a vote will be held, apparently to oust Baharav-Miara.
In a proposal that he intends to raise in the government, Levin wrote: "The government decides to express a vote of lack of confidence in Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, in light of her inappropriate conduct, and the existence of substantial and long-standing disagreements between the government and the Attorney General, which create a situation that prevents effective cooperation."
Levin accused the Attorney General that "while she promotes values of democracy, she has, in fact, crushed the very principles, in the name of which she purports to act."
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who recommended Baharav-Miara for the position, supports the Justice Minister's and said: "If I'd known then what I know now I wouldn't have recommended Baharav-Miara for Attorney General."