Israel's High Court hears limits on Justice Minister's power to appoint investigation supervisor

An expanded panel of 11 justices is debating whether Justice Minister Yariv Levin can appoint an external supervisor for a criminal investigation when the Attorney General has a conflict of interest, setting rules for future cases.

The Israeli High Court of Justice held an exceptional session on Sunday with an expanded panel of all eleven justices to reconsider the decision granting Justice Minister Yariv Levin the authority to appoint an official to oversee a criminal investigation into former Military Advocate General Tomer Yerushalmi. The discussion focuses on the fundamental legal aspects of the decision issued in November 2025, after the investigation into Yerushalmi concluded months earlier. High Court President Yitzhak Amit opened the session by noting that the deliberations would not address the previous investigation but aim to 'establish a legal foundation looking to the future.' During the session, attorney Yuval Yoaz, representing the 'Guardian of Democracy' organization that petitioned against the minister's powers, argued that political interference in investigations is more dangerous than potential conflicts of interest within the prosecution.