Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who leads the right-wing Otzma Yehudit party, sent a letter to his fellow members of the coalition government calling for the dismissal of the Attorney General (“Legal Advisor”) Gali Baharav-Miara. Ben-Gvir alleges that she has worked against the government’s interests and is too politically active to be allowed to continue in office.
Baharav-Miara has been highly critical of the judicial reform plan currently being promoted in the Knesset by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“In her conduct since the formation of the government,” charged Ben-Gvir, “the Advisor has served, in effect, as the chairwoman of the opposition. Under these circumstances, it seems that it would be correct to start an official procedure for her dismissal.”
Ben-Gvir added that if she wishes to be political then Bahrav-Miara could always run for a seat in the Knesset. There are some members of the coalition who are speculating that Bahrav-Miara wants to be fired so she can use it to launch her career as a leader of a leftwing party.
One of the major points of the judicial reform plan includes defining and limiting the powers of the Legal Advisor to the government, also known as the attorney general. The government maintains that the position is called “advisor” because the legal advisor is meant to do just that and not have any actual authority or power over the government.
