Netanyahu, putting Ne'eman on the job
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Ministers want more candidates for AG role
PM Netanyahu tells Likud minister government to select new attorney general based on justice minister's recommendation. Ministers displeased, say more candidates should be considered
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced at a meeting with Likud ministers that the government will implement a new system in which the justice minister will recommend a candidate for the role of Israel's next attorney general, following the selection committee's failure to do so and consequent resignation.
Netanyahu asked Justice Minister Yaakov Ne'eman to first examine the four candidates that received three votes by the committee. The candidates are: Attorney Yehuda Weinstein, Professor Yedidia Stern, Professor Dafna Barak-Erez and Attorney Zvi Agmon.
Selection Process
Attila Somfalvi
Aides close to prime minister tell Ynet no new attorney general selection committee will be formed following resignation of previous committee, but instead, ministers will chose one of four candidates for the job
Some ministers expressed displeasure with the fact that only four candidates will be up for selection. Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat supported that idea of allowing more candidates to run for the role.
Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan criticized the disqualification of the rest of the candidates, and said, "Part of the committee's disqualifications were made because they attributed certain associations to the candidates that were disqualified.
"When nobody meets the requirements, it can't be that those who got more votes become candidates. All 11 candidates should be considered."
Before the meeting, other ministers commented on the matter as well. National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said, "There is no place for such a committee to begin with, but I do not want to add fuel to the flames. We must create among the public a feeling of trust in the system. This last committee did not add to it, and it even took away from it."
Minister of Improvement of Government Services Michael Eitan added, "There is no need for the formation of a new committee, since there is no guarantee this would yield a solution. The government can reach a solution and an appropriate decision in the matter."
Ronen Medzini contributed to this report
