According to the government coalition, the law is intended to reorganize the relationship between the government and legal advice.Image: keystone
The Israeli parliament has passed a controversial law that significantly limits the powers of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
July 16, 2026, 3:14 amJuly 16, 2026, 3:14 am
The Knesset approved the law in its third and final reading. According to the government coalition, the law is intended to reorganize the relationship between the government and legal advice. Critics see this as a weakening of the constitutional control of the executive branch.
Among other things, the Attorney General examines whether government decisions are compatible with applicable law. The now approved, highly controversial bill stipulates that these legal opinions are no longer binding and the government can effectively ignore them.
Critics of the law therefore see fundamental democratic principles at risk. Israel has neither a second chamber of parliament nor a formal constitution. The independence of the judiciary ensures that politics is bound to existing law. The Attorney General is considered one of the few supervisory authorities of the executive branch in Israel. Baharav-Miara repeatedly came into conflict with the right-wing religious government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because she viewed decisions made by the political leadership as unlawful or legally problematic.
The government coalition accuses the Attorney General of blocking the government
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his coalition partners have long accused the Attorney General of being too powerful and interfering too heavily in executive decisions without being democratically elected.
Almost a year ago, Israel’s government voted to depose Baharav-Miara. The Supreme Court overturned this government decision. The new law now also stipulates that the government can set the rules for the appointment and dismissal of the attorney general.
The government plans to pass more controversial legislation this week before dissolving Parliament at the end of the week ahead of a scheduled general election on October 27. (sda/dpa)