Mandelblit with PM Netanyahu. (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)
Photo: Marc Israel Sellem
Government approves Mandelblit appointment as AG
The ministers approved the Cabinet Secretary's appointment as the new Attorney General in a unanimous vote. The appointment is, however, expected to be challenged in the courts.
The Israeli government unanimously approved the appointment of current Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit to Attorney General in a Sunday afternoon vote. Mandelblit had served as IDF Advocate General in the past, holding a rank of Major –General. Minister Yoav Galant (Kulanu) was absent from the vote.
Mandelblit was chosen as the sole candidate for the AG position by a special committee gathered by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. Former Chief Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court Asher Grunis was the only committee member to vote against Mandelblit's candidacy.
Avichai Mandelblit. Unanimously approved by the government. (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)
Minister Shaked explained the committee's work process Sunday morning. She addressed different questions relating to his sole candidacy, saying that the committee was supposed to pick three candidates with four-vote majorities each, but such a majority was only available for the proposed candidate Mandelblit.
As for the candidate's alleged involvement in the Harpaz affair (an alleged military corruption case which involved high-ranking IDF officers, including then-outgoing Chief of General Staff Gabi Ashkenazi), Minister Shaked said that the committee's confidence in naming Mandelblit as a candidate indicates that its members do not see the affair as an obstacle for his appointment.
Minister of Justice Shaked. (Photo: EPA)
In addition, Shaked said that current AG Yehuda Weinstein had no official comments regarding the committee's decision, meaning that he does not see a reason to oppose it, and indicating that he will be prepared to defend the appointment against challenges in the courts.
Regarding the demand by some that Mandelblit go through a cooling-off period between his different government roles, Minister Shaked said: "Lacking a normative source that requires a cooling-off period, there is no interest or point in disqualifying the appointment." She mentioned that most of the committee members were also of the opinion that it should not prevent the appointment.
