Ever since Israel's new government unveiled its far-reaching plans for judicial reform in January, there has been constant protest in the country against the legislative package.

At the same time, the government and the judiciary are exchanging blows in various fields, and many observers see a connection between the two.

Christian Meier

Political correspondent for the Middle East and Northeast Africa.

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The latest move, if one follows this interpretation, was made by the judiciary: Israel's Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara wrote in a report that she had delivered to Justice Minister Jariv Levin on Thursday that the reform threatened Israel's status "as a Jewish and democratic state".

Fundamental principles such as the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary or the protection of individual rights are affected.

Previously, she had ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to deal directly with judicial reform himself.

In a letter she sent to him on Wednesday, which became public on Thursday, she wrote that as prime minister, Netanyahu must "avoid involvement in initiatives related to the judicial system."

He was also not allowed to give anyone instructions on the matter, either directly or indirectly.

As a reason, Baharav-Miara stated that Netanyahu risked a conflict of interest.

The prime minister is benefiting from the judicial reform with a view to his own court case, according to an opinion by the deputy attorney general attached to the letter.

The planned changes would make it easier for the coalition to undertake legal reforms in Netanyahu's favour.

Netanyahu also keeps out of personal details

The 73-year-old politician has been on trial since 2020 on three counts of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

He has always rejected the allegations and spoke of a "witch hunt" against him by a left-wing infiltrated judiciary.

Unlike Ehud Olmert a decade earlier, Netanyahu did not resign after being indicted.

In 2020, he signed a conflict of interest agreement with the then Attorney General, according to which he cannot become involved in political decisions affecting witnesses at his trial or in legislative initiatives that would affect the prosecution.

Netanyahu also keeps out of certain personal details.

After he won the election in the fall, many observers believed that Netanyahu would try to use the restructuring of the judicial system, which his coalition partners in particular are striving for, to overturn the trial against him.

He always rejected that, most recently in a CNN interview broadcast on Tuesday.

Asked about a connection between the judicial reform and his trial, he said it was wrong.

“None of the reforms we are discussing .

.

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has anything to do with my process.”

According to legal experts, the decision does not affect the judicial reform itself, only Netanyahu's involvement in the process.

Nevertheless, critical and angry reactions came from the coalition on Thursday.

Netanyahu himself said in the evening that the Attorney General's position was "unacceptable".

The chairmen of the coalition parties had previously announced in a joint letter that they rejected Baharav-Miara's position.

It stands "in complete contradiction to the unequivocal mandate we received from the Israeli citizens in the election".

There is also no connection between the judicial reform and the process.

Justice Minister Jariv Levin, the architect of the reform, accused the Attorney General of having a conflict of interest herself, as the judicial reform would also curtail her powers.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: "Threats do not change policy and the government will not back down."

Baharav-Miara, who was appointed by the previous government, has recently come under increasing attack from members of the coalition.

Israeli media reported on Thursday that the secret services had raised their threat assessment for the 63-year-old lawyer to the highest level 6.