Supreme Court justices on the Judicial Selection Committee recently told coalition representatives on the committee that after the election of Yitzhak Amit as Supreme Court President, it is necessary to now promote the appointment of two female judges from the District Courts to the Supreme Court.
The Israel Hayom daily reports that the justices asked the coalition representatives to provide the names of two district judges, in order to discuss their promotion to the Supreme Court and fulfill the position of two retiring judges – President Esther Hayut and Justice Anat Baron – in order to maintain female representation on the Supreme Court.
Legal sources said that the justices conveyed a moderating message that it would be possible to reach an agreement on two candidates to the Supreme Court, from among the district court judges proposed by the Justice Minister and coalition representatives, in order to begin a process of agreements, and then deal with candidates who are not judges, in preparation for the next appointments.
Currently, there is a shortage of three judges’ positions on the Supreme Court panel, and by October, Justice Joseph Elron will also retire, so that there will be a shortage of two female and two male justices for the Supreme Court in the coming year.
Representatives of the coalition declined the judges' proposal, because Justice Minister Yariv Levin is not willing to begin deliberating on any other candidate until they agree to accept one of his two nominees for the Supreme Court — Dr. Rafi Biton or Dr. Aviad Bakshi.