Netanyahu folded? 'Even though I'm right - Benny Gantz was appointed Minister of Justice''

April 28, 2021   

After the screaming match at the government meeting and the attempt to appoint Ofir Akunis as Minister of Justice: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided today (Wednesday) to appoint Benny Gantz as Minister of Justice. Netanyahu submitted a detailed response to the High Court of Justice, which denies the argument that yesterday's discussion in the government was against the law. In response, Netanyahu claimed that, contrary to Mandelblit's claims, at the time of the vote "the ministers were well aware of the position of the Attorney General." The Prime Minister wrote in his response: "The court or the Attorney General should not position themselves as a super-government and it is appropriate to refrain from determining for the government which political appointment it should make. The actual discussion of the appointment was therefore conducted under the legal process, without political agreement being reached as was appropriate.".

The Prime Minister's statement stated that the reason for the change in direction is that after the Prime Minister's compromise proposals were rejected this morning, Netanyahu decided to appoint Benny Gantz as Minister of Justice in the transitional government, "in order to break the deadlock and enable the necessary activities of the Ministry of Justice.".

The appointment will be submitted for government approval during the day. The government debate yesterday was particularly heated and included shouting, mainly from Blue and White ministers. The Attorney General ruled that a decision should be made immediately on the appointment of a justice minister in light of the debate on petitions submitted to the High Court of Justice regarding the lack of a minister with a permanent appointment. Netanyahu and Gantz agreed to postpone the vote until Thursday, but at the last minute Gantz changed his mind and asked to bring his appointment to a vote immediately.