Mazuz
MazuzFlash 90

Supreme Court Justice Menachem Mazuz has announced his resignation. This is despite the fact that his tenure has not come to an end.

Mazuz's announcement is surprising since he is only due to retire in four years.

The Ministry of Justice stated that "Supreme Court Justice Justice Menachem Mazuz has announced that he has made a personal decision to resign from office. Justice Mazuz announced his decision to Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut and Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn and at his request the date of his retirement is April 30, 2021.

"The Supreme Court Chief Justice and Minister of Justice expressed regret over the expected retirement of Judge Mazuz and wish him success," the statement said.

Judge Mazuz said that "after six and a half years in the Supreme Court and about forty years of devoting myself to the public service, I made a personal decision to end my term as a Supreme Court justice.

"In recent years, I have devoted most of my time and lectures to judicial practice and I thank the Chief Justice, my friends, and fellow judges for the opportunity I have had to serve alongside them and contribute with them to promoting the rule of law and preserving the values ​​of democracy in Israel," Mazuz added.

In recent months, Mazuz has come under sharp criticism from the families of terror victims who even demonstrated in front of his home, after the decision not to destroy the house of the murderer of Golani Regiment fighter Amit Ben Yigal.

Herzl and Meirav Hajaj, the parents of the late Lt. Shir, members of the "Choosing Life" forum of bereaved families who led the protest in front of Justice Mazuz's house said at the time, "Unfortunately today the Supreme Court headed by Justice Meni Mazuz took authority not belonging to it, and not for the first time. In doing so, he abandoned the citizens of Israel to a fate like ours, the bereaved families and victims of terrorism.

"Judge Mazuz signed today and approved for future terrorists the coming attacks, G-d forbid. The Supreme Court judges said today that the blood of Shir Hajaj and the late Amit Ben Yigal and thousands of other Israelis is cheap and the terrorist family's rights prevail over preventing future terrorist attacks. One for whom the cursed terrorists are more important to him than the citizens and soldiers of Israel cannot be a judge in Israel. There are judges in Jerusalem for terrorists only," they added.