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Shaked and Naor build bridges as Supreme Court candidates announced
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked yesterday announced 28 candidates for four future vacancies on Israel’s Supreme Court, days after she was criticised by Supreme Court President Miriam Naor regarding controversial draft legislation to amend the judicial selection process.
Most of the candidates on Shaked’s list are justices from lower courts, but it also includes university professors and one practicing attorney. Media reports speculate that disagreements are expected over a number of candidates, primarily Bar-Ilan University Professor Gidon Sapir, who is preferred by Shaked and Tel Aviv District Court Judge Ruth Ronen, who is supported by Naor and her fellow justices.
Naor, as well as justices Zvi Zilbertal, Salim Joubran and Elyakim Rubinstein will leave the Supreme Court over the next year as they reach the mandatory retirement age. The Judicial Selection Committee will announce replacements as early as January.
The draft legislation to amend the judicial selection process became the focus of a public disagreement last week between the Justice Minister and the Supreme Court President. In a letter released to the media, Naor said: “I can only interpret your silence as expressing the position that the bill and its timing are with your consent. Tabling this bill at the present time is tantamount to placing a gun on the table.”
Israeli media report that Naor and Shaked met yesterday and Shaked agreed to postpone debate on the controversial draft legislation, spearheaded by three Yisrael Beitenu MKs.
The Judicial Selection Committee consists of nine members – two representatives from the cabinet, two Knesset representatives, three representatives from the Supreme Court and two representatives from the Israel Bar Association.
At present, new Supreme Court appointments must be approved by a special majority of seven, requiring a degree of compromise between judicial and legislative representatives. The new draft bill reinstates the pre-2008 system that requires a majority of five, giving the Knesset committee representatives greater weight.