Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann
Photo: Haim Zach
Beinish: Friedmann stirring strife and discord
Unprecedented criticism from Supreme Court president against justice minister over proposal to form committee for appointment of presidents to lower courts
The bad blood between Justice Minister Professor Daniel Friedmann and Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish continues to weigh down the justice system.
Judiciary Branch
Baruch Leshem
Supreme Court's image may be tarnished as judges imitate politicians
In an exceptionally harshly worded letter Beinish accuses the minister of gnawing away at the authority of the judicial branch, failing to familiarize himself with its conduct and "stirring strife and discord."
The catalyst to this latest outburst is a longstanding argument over the appointment of presidents to lower courts. Beinish objects to Friedmann's proposal to form a committee of former judges to appoint potential candidates as court presidents. The current system has the minister of justice appoint a candidate with the approval of the Supreme Court president alone.
"The legality of the regulations he is proposing is questionable, they contravene the judicial traditions the system has followed for many years," wrote Beinish.
"The proposals you have made are another link in a chain of actions you have been taking - which have stirred strife and discord – to crush the existing structure of the justice system and grind at the status of the institute of the Supreme Court president…
"You strive to undermine the anchored principle of judicial law in regards to the powers of appointment, which are an expression of the joint responsibility of the minister and Supreme Court president for the management of the courts."
Beinish ended her letter on a private note: "It is unfortunate that this very important system, one of the cornerstones of Israeli democracy, which is under constant threat – and instead of dealing with its problems and needs you are promoting dangerous plans for your personal agenda."
Friedmann's initiative follows additional proposals deemed by Beinish as posing a challenge to her authority, including stripping the High Court of Justice of its exclusive power to revoke laws and limiting the tenure of Supreme Court presidents.
Friedmann 'regrets Beinish responded through media'
Friedmann was quick to respond and his office issued a statement in the late afternoon saying that the minister "regrets that the Supreme Court president chose to answer a professional consultation requested by the justice minister through the media."Associates close to Friedmann were less than pleased about the tone Beinish adopted towards him: "The absurd of course is that the minister came to the Supreme Court president for counsel with a proposal that would have taken the appointment of court presidents and their deputies out of the political arena. To prevent a situation where they are only appointed by only the minister and president – so now she accuses him of playing political games?
"We regret that every proposal to improve the system is perceived by Beinish has an act of war that chisels at her stature."
