The Israeli Supreme Court issues a decision temporarily restricting Ben-Gvir’s powers
The Israeli Supreme Court issued a temporary order imposing restriction on the extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, following a hearing described as historic, and the decision could potentially lead to his dismissal.
The court ruling aims to limit Ben-Gvir’s powers and push the parties towards a settlement before the beginning of next May.
According to the ruling, Ben-Gvir, the government, and the legal advisor were given until the beginning of next month to reach agreements, and were required to inform the court by May 3 whether they had succeeded in doing so or to present the outstanding points of contention.
The temporary order included a package of direct restrictions on the powers of Minister Ben-Gvir, most notably a ban on making or pushing for appointments to senior and sensitive positions within the law enforcement apparatus, except on the recommendation of the police leadership and after notifying the government’s legal advisor in advance by seven days, while granting her the right to express an opinion.
The court also prohibited Ben-Gvir from making statements regarding the use of force by the police against Israelis, including ongoing cases and investigations, in an attempt to limit his direct influence on the work of the security and judicial authorities.
Prior to the decision, Ben-Gvir had announced through his lawyer that he would not be prepared to enter into negotiations if the court issued temporary orders affecting his powers, stressing that he would then demand a final judicial ruling instead of reaching a settlement.
He pointed out that linking the dialogue to the issuance of judicial orders was unacceptable, considering that any restrictions of this kind undermine his powers as a minister.
In contrast, the court explained that its goal at this stage is to reach a less severe solution than dismissing the minister, by formulating binding understandings, the violation of which may later lead to taking more stringent steps, including removing him from his position.
The court seeks to establish a mechanism to subject the minister’s conduct to legal oversight, amid escalating disputes between him and the judicial authorities, which opens the door to a legal and political confrontation that could worsen if settlement efforts fail within the specified timeframe on May 3.
The court’s decision puts Ben-Gvir under a “legal test: either compliance and settlement, or escalation that could actually end with his removal”.
The Israeli Supreme Court’s decision comes amid an ongoing legal battle over Ben-Gvir’s powers.
Last January, the Attorney General demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismiss Ben-Gvir, accusing him of abusing his position to unlawfully influence police work, particularly in sensitive cases related to law enforcement and investigations.
The government had rejected these demands in December, considering that the petitions submitted by opposition organizations, including the Movement for Quality Governance, represented an illegal attempt to dismiss a minister on the grounds of his positions and political discourse.
