The Ombudsman surrendered: The Civil Service Commissioner can be appointed as his predecessors were appointed

November 19, 2024   

Legal Advisor to the Prime Minister Gali Baharav-Meyara bowed out this evening (Tuesday) and announced that she allows the appointment of the Civil Service Commissioner - without a search committee, as his predecessors were appointed. This was reported this evening by Avishai Greenzig on the i24news channel. In an opinion from June, the legal advisor claimed that it would be "difficult to impossible" to legally defend any appointment method that is not done through a search committee. Last week, Baharav-Meyara published her response regarding petitions regarding the procedure for appointing the Civil Service Commissioner - which was changed by the government last August, contrary to her recommendation. In response, it was clarified that the government's decision regarding the procedure for appointing the Civil Service Commissioner "creates a new situation according to which the Prime Minister will be able to choose himself a person he wishes to appoint to the position of Civil Service Commissioner, who does not have to meet minimum professional threshold conditions of experience, qualifications or suitability for the position. For this reason, the decision, which deviates from the previous method of appointing commissioners, is illegal." She further added that "this is a significant step in turning the professional public service into a political one.".