Menachem Mazuz at ceremony on Thursday
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Mazuz leaves AG post in ceremonious fashion
Following bitter disputes, fateful cases, and six turbulent years, Menachem Mazuz hands reins over attorney general position over to Yehuda Weinstein. Justice Minister Yaakov Ne'eman: Mazuz was successful in every path of progress within Justice Ministry
After six years of drama, turbulence, and nail-biting during which an entire country waiting on the edge of its seats for Menachem Mazuz's statements, the attorney general departed from one of the most prominent positions in Israel.
Conclusions
Six turbulent years have passed since current attorney general took office. After Sharon, Ramon, Katsav and Olmert Mazuz concludes term with criticism towards 'oppositional ministers'
During his farewell address, Mazuz referred to the assault of Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish. "In recent years we have witnessed a wave of attacks against the legal system, the Supreme Court and the police," Mazuz said. "It was a crossing of red lines, Israeli society's low point. I do not wish to connect personal attacks to the incident but this is a warning sign."
During the state ceremony in which Mazuz passed the torch to his successor, Yehuda Weinstein, it was revealed that Mazuz wanted to step down after five years, but the Olmert trials derailed his plans.
"I wish to emphasize the independent status of the institution of the attorney general," said Mazuz in his farewell speech. "These are difficult times, and the challenges are tougher than ever. In an age of disagreements, maintaining the rules of democracy is the guarantee for our continued existence as an enlightened society. In recent years, we have witnessed an ugly wave of attacks against the Supreme Court and the police, as well as the deterioration in veneration of the law."
Justice Minister Yaakov Ne'eman said, "Menachem Mazuz had great success in every path of progress within the Justice Ministry."
The director-general of the Justice Ministry noted Mazuz's diligence and put in a lot of extra hours. He also mentioned that he cannot remember when an intern of the office made it so far: "Menachem started as an intern and finished in the (ministry's) loftiest position. I think this says huge amounts about the Justice Ministry and about Menachem Mazuz."
'No fault to be found'
State Prosecutor Moshe Lador was not short on praise for Mazuz: "Mazuz could not have filled this position without a sense of mission that must be admired – nearly worshipped – and always in a good spirit, without raising his voice or expressing discomfort. I admit that I looked for weaknesses in Mazuz, but could not find them. Everyone knows he was a superb attorney general."The official ceremony symbolizes the end of an era, and is being held in attendance of the justice minister, the state prosecutor, and colleagues from the justice and political systems. Yehuda Weinstein will not fill Mazuz's shoes. Weinstein hails from the private sector. Though he has vast experience in criminal law, he lacks background in civil issues.
Weinstein, 65, is entering the post of attorney general in one of the country's most influential ministries at a sensitive time with a heated debate waging in the background regarding Ne'eman's initiative to split the attorney general's responsibilities, a move opposed by both Mazuz and Lador.
In addition, a particularly hot potato has fallen into his lap with the case against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman along with a police recommendation that an indictment be issued against him.
Regarding the cases of other high-level public officials, Weinstein may have a hard time dealing with them since he represented many of them until recently. Among them is former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who left political life after Mazuz decided to issue an indictment against him.
