On Monday evening, the government unanimously approved a proposal by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin to immediately end the tenure of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The government plans to begin the process of appointing her replacement without delay, despite the Supreme Court’s position that a new appointment should not proceed until the current term concludes.
During the cabinet meeting, Minister Levin criticized Baharav Miara’s conduct, accusing her of contradicting herself. “In section D-1 of her letter, she claims there is good cooperation with the government. But in section D-2, she says her legal opinions are systematically dismissed. If there is true cooperation, how can her views be ignored?” Levin said. “This claim of cooperation is nonsense. On every key legal and political issue, she has aligned with the opposition—even on marginal matters like Bar Association membership fee laws.”
Levin also dismissed claims that Baharav Miara’s termination is linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing trial. “She hints that her role in the PM’s trial protects her from being dismissed. That’s an extremely dangerous suggestion,” he said. “Her dismissal has nothing to do with the trial—none of the reasons given relate to it.”
Despite the vote, Baharav Miara is expected to continue in her role temporarily and report for work the following day. In the meantime, several senior ministers have stated they will only cooperate with deputies until a new appointment is made.
In private conversations, Levin reportedly argued that once the dismissal decision is finalized, Baharav-Miara should no longer attend government or cabinet meetings.
Ahead of the vote, Baharav-Miara sent a letter to government ministers, warning that her removal constitutes an unlawful dismissal of the official overseeing the Prime Minister’s legal proceedings.
She argued that the Justice Minister’s motivations point to an attempt to install a more compliant Attorney General.
“The Justice Minister’s statements suggest a desire to appoint someone who will overlook legal breaches, such as avoiding the conscription of yeshiva students or interfering politically in police investigations,” she wrote.