The Dangerous Mission of the Appointee
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is asking the High Court of Justice for an interim injunction to halt the new Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) law, claiming it establishes a 'political prosecution unit' and grants sweeping powers to the 'Coordination Supervisor', a political appointee who could interfere in investigations. The tender for selecting the department's director has already been published, and the legal system fears harm to enforcement independence ahead of the elections.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is petitioning the High Court of Justice for an interim injunction to stop the implementation of the new Mahash law, which she says is designed to establish 'a political prosecution unit that will intimidate police officers, investigators, prosecutors, and journalists'. The law, which is supposed to take effect with the convening of the next Knesset, has already been set in motion practically: the tender for selecting the new department director has been published. Justice Minister Yariv Levin, in a transitional government, seeks to establish facts on the ground before the elections. The Attorney General's position, submitted to the High Court, is written in a sharp style: she argues that the composition of the committee that will appoint the director and the supervisor reflects politicization, and that the officeholders will be subject to political pressures. The state's response describes the concern about appointing these officials during the election period and defines the role of Mahash as 'critical' for maintaining order. The main criticism is directed at the new role of 'Coordination Supervisor', a retired judge who will serve for six years, but whose powers are broader than mere coordination: he will be the final arbiter in disputes between Mahash and other bodies, and will be able to transfer cases between enforcement bodies. Sources in the system warn of a 'doomsday weapon' for investigated public figures and describe the law as 'malicious and cunning'. The Deputy Attorney General, Sharon Afek, warned the Constitution Committee against removing the barrier between Mahash and the political echelon. Supporters of the law note that it is based on the conclusions of a public committee that recommended making Mahash an independent body. However, critics argue that independence is achieved at the cost of destroying the independence of the enforcement system.