Netanyahu to High Court: No Grounds to Dismiss Ben Gvir – His Appointment Was Legal

The government and Prime Minister Netanyahu submitted their position to the High Court of Justice against the Attorney General's request to dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. They argue that his appointment was made legally and that there is no basis for administrative or judicial dismissal. They also claim that restraint should be exercised during the election period and that some of the allegations are based on an attempt to inflate isolated incidents.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government submitted their position to the High Court of Justice on Wednesday in response to the Attorney General's update, clarifying that they oppose her request to order the dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The document states that after Netanyahu re-examined the issue and even received a detailed response from Ben Gvir, he remains of the opinion that his appointment was made legally and that "there is no basis for his administrative or judicial dismissal." The government claims that the Attorney General presented her position to the court without exhausting dialogue with the respondents, thereby effectively seeking to order the minister's dismissal. It is further argued that even if agreements were not reached regarding work procedures, this does not establish grounds for disqualifying a sitting minister. The government also rejected the claim that Ben Gvir does not respect the independence of the police, noting that the minister clarified that he never objected to this principle. It is also argued that some of the allegations are based on an attempt to "inflate" isolated incidents into a basis for dismissal, and that the petition is not the appropriate framework for examining every administrative decision of the minister. Finally, the government argued that special restraint should be exercised during the election period, and that the question of a minister's continued tenure is a matter for the public to decide at the ballot box. The announcement comes in response to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's update last month that attempts to reach an agreed framework with Ben Gvir had failed. Ben Gvir dismissed the allegations, writing that he welcomes the Prime Minister's clear response to the "criminal Attorney General."