The President of the High Court, Miriam Naor, crossed a red line when she instructed candidates for the court not to meet with MKs, MK Nurit Koren (Likud) told Arutz Sheva.
"I am a member of the Committee for the Appointment of Judges, and I have unfortunately encountered many difficulties." MK Koren said. "I want to meet with the candidates who have been judges in our court system and wish to advance. The president [of the High Court] specifically prohibited them from meeting with politicians. She told them that those who meet with politicians will not be appointed."
"It crosses a red line for me." she explained. "My voice is like that of any other member [of the Committee for the Appointment of Judges]. It cannot be that I am prevented from meeting with the candidates. It is important to meet with them and have a private conversation, because there are issues that do not always come up at the Committee table."
"We should not forget, even the courts have internal politics." she added. "They sometimes delay the appointment of a judge because he does not belong to the correct group or does not have 'suitable' opinions. I want to know these things."
When asked why the President of the High Court issued that directive, Koren replied: "Sometimes the enlightened President Naor wants to have the last word and make the decision. I told her that I am not a rubber stamp. I want to see the candidates, examine them, gather background information. I do not always feel like I receive the [necessary] material."
"Will the court not maintain the democratic principals it [constantly preaches about]?" she asked.
"I was elected [to the committee] by the 120 members of the Knesset. I do not believe that I should be treated differently from the judges or lawyers who meet with the candidates."