Friedman, 70, is a 7th-generation Land of Israel native from his mother's side. He is a lecturer at the National Academy of Science, and was Dean of the Law Faculty of Tel Aviv University. In 1983, he won the Tzeltner Law Prize, and won the Israel Prize for Law in 1991.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was reported to have decided upon Friedman this morning, but no official announcement was issued. It was reported shortly before 3 PM that the Cabinet secretariat had begun contacting the government ministers to inform them of a Cabinet meeting this evening for the purpose of voting on the nomination.
Politically, Friedman was briefly a member of the left-wing Dash Party founded by Yigal Yadin in 1977. He is known to strongly oppose many aspects of the current judicial system, including the judicial activism of the Supreme Court fostered by the previous Chief Justice, Aharon Barak, as well as the manner in which Supreme Court justices are appointed.
Friedman reportedly turned down offers to become a Supreme Court justice in the past.
The Justice Ministry has changed hands nine times over the past ten years. Yaakov Ne'eman, a non-politician, was appointed by then-Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - but was forced to resign when indicted on charges of tampering with a witness in the Aryeh Deri trial. Ne'eman was later acquitted, but did not return to the post, largely because his replacement, Tzachi HaNegbi, refused to give way. (Ne'eman later became Finance Minister.)
In Ehud Barak's government formed in 1999, Yossi Beilin of Meretz was Justice Minister, and in the first Ariel Sharon government (2001-2003), it was Meir Sheetrit. When Sharon was re-elected, he named Yosef Tommy Lapid of the anti-religious Shinui Party to the post; Tzipi Livni took over when Shinui quit the government in late 2004.
In March 2005, Ehud Olmert named Chaim Ramon to the position; Ramon resigned several months later upon being indicted for forcibly kissing a woman soldier. Sheetrit filled his place for three months, followed by Livni again - and now Prof. Friedman has been named to the post.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was reported to have decided upon Friedman this morning, but no official announcement was issued. It was reported shortly before 3 PM that the Cabinet secretariat had begun contacting the government ministers to inform them of a Cabinet meeting this evening for the purpose of voting on the nomination.
Politically, Friedman was briefly a member of the left-wing Dash Party founded by Yigal Yadin in 1977. He is known to strongly oppose many aspects of the current judicial system, including the judicial activism of the Supreme Court fostered by the previous Chief Justice, Aharon Barak, as well as the manner in which Supreme Court justices are appointed.
Friedman reportedly turned down offers to become a Supreme Court justice in the past.
The Justice Ministry has changed hands nine times over the past ten years. Yaakov Ne'eman, a non-politician, was appointed by then-Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - but was forced to resign when indicted on charges of tampering with a witness in the Aryeh Deri trial. Ne'eman was later acquitted, but did not return to the post, largely because his replacement, Tzachi HaNegbi, refused to give way. (Ne'eman later became Finance Minister.)
In Ehud Barak's government formed in 1999, Yossi Beilin of Meretz was Justice Minister, and in the first Ariel Sharon government (2001-2003), it was Meir Sheetrit. When Sharon was re-elected, he named Yosef Tommy Lapid of the anti-religious Shinui Party to the post; Tzipi Livni took over when Shinui quit the government in late 2004.
In March 2005, Ehud Olmert named Chaim Ramon to the position; Ramon resigned several months later upon being indicted for forcibly kissing a woman soldier. Sheetrit filled his place for three months, followed by Livni again - and now Prof. Friedman has been named to the post.