Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara strongly refuted allegations of non-cooperation with the government during remarks made at a Bar Association conference, asserting that her office continues to uphold its legal responsibilities while navigating an increasingly fraught political landscape.
“The claim that we are not cooperating with the government is disconnected from reality,” Baharav-Miara said. She emphasized that while coordination with elected officials is essential for advancing government initiatives, it does not absolve legal advisers of their duty to ensure policies comply with the law.
Baharav-Miara warned of a decline in the rule of law under the pretext of national security. “Under the guise of war, the disdain for the law is noticeable; this is not a warning regarding the future, this is the reality in practice,” she stated.
She expressed deep concern over what she described as a transformation of the country’s political regime, highlighting the erosion of key democratic safeguards. “The regime is changing before our eyes, and a central aspect of the change is the systematic weakening of the checks and balances,” she said, adding that attacks on judicial independence are “particularly dangerous.”
Underscoring the judiciary’s role as a crucial safeguard against the abuse of power, the Attorney General warned that any attempt to undermine its independence could result in lasting damage to Israel’s democratic foundations. “There is no effective alternative address for a citizen who has been harmed to seek relief,” she said.
Baharav-Miara also criticized the increasing politicization of judicial appointments, cautioning that such trends could erode both public trust and the professionalism of the legal system.
She commended the ongoing work of legal advisers and judicial officials, stressing their critical role in defending the rule of law amid heightened security and social pressures.
The current government has begun the process to replace Baharav-Miara, claiming that she constantly attempts to thwart or block government policy. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who originally recommended her for the post, has tweeted: "Removing the Attorney General from their position is an exceptional step. A step that has not been taken since the 1980s. But the Attorney General's actions are also highly exceptional. She has become a full-fledged political player who systematically works against the government with the transparent aim of overthrowing it. Anyone who wants to overthrow the government supports her, and vice versa. This is a place where the Attorney General is not allowed to be,"
He added that Baharav-Miara's methods are those of an "attorney general on steroids" and that "any honest person can separate their position on the government (negative or positive) from understanding what exactly is happening here. The person who did a complete 180 degree turn is the attorney general...there is nowhere in the world where an attorney general acts consistently, systematically, and unrestrainedly against the government he is supposed to advise. All this - while stretching the boundaries of the [att'y general's] role itself to impossible places. Her continued forcing [of her own opinions on] the government is a serious governmental breakdown that severely harms the functioning of the executive branch. I have seen this time and time again - and up close - in the last six months."
