Supreme Court Justice Menachem "Meni" Mazuz announced early retirement Monday evening due to personal reasons.
"At the end of six and a half years of service in the Supreme Court and about forty years that I devoted to the public service, I came to the decision to end my term as a Supreme Court justice for personal reasons," Mazuz said.
"In recent years, I have devoted most of my time and energy to uphold the law and I thank [Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut], my friends and fellow judges for the opportunity I have had to serve alongside them and to protect the rule of law and preserve our democratic values in Israel."
The 65-year-old jurist conveyed his decision to Chief Justice Esther Hayut and Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn, saying he wishes to retire on April 30, 2021 – four years before his tenure ends.
Mazuz' retirement will be deliver a hefty blow to the Supreme Court's liberal panel as Deputy Chief Justice Hanan Melcer is also set to retire in April.
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Home of terrorist who killed IDF soldier demolished by IDF forces
(Photo: IDF's Spokesperson Unit)
Mazuz had led a left-leaning approach regarding many issues including the demolition of terrorists' homes. Over the years, Supreme Court judges accepted the defense establishment's position, which believed that the homes of terrorists who carried out attacks on Israelis should be demolished, but Mazuz led a different line that raised a wave of criticism from the right.
After several rulings in which Mazuz ruled that terrorist homes should not be demolished, he was not placed in additional cases under the tenure of
Former Supreme Court chief justice Miriam Naor removed Mazuz from cases pertaining to the demolition of terrorist homes after he ruled against the move several times. Mazuz was reinstated to the panel after Chief Justice Hayut took office.
Mazuz is considered tough on corruption and opposed allowing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to establish a coalition government due to his pending graft cases.
Mazuz entered office in November 2014. Beforehand, he served as attorney general between 2004 and 2010.