PNN – The Israeli Supreme Court issued a temporary ruling limiting some of Ben-Gwer’s powers; a decision made after an unprecedented session.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; following a hearing described as “historic,” the Israeli Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction imposing restrictions on Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gwer, a decision that could lead to his dismissal.
The ruling is intended to limit Ben-Gwer’s powers and push the parties toward peace before May.
According to the ruling, Ben-Gwer, the cabinet and the prosecutor have until the beginning of next month to reach an agreement and are required to inform the court by May 3 whether they have succeeded or not, and if not, to raise the points of disagreement.
The interim order includes direct restrictions on Minister Ben-Gwer’s powers, the most important of which is a ban on taking action or making appointments to high-ranking and sensitive positions in the security apparatus unless it is on the advice of the police command and the cabinet’s legal advisor is informed seven days in advance, and his right to comment on the matter is also reserved.
The court also restricted Ben-Gwer from commenting on police use of force against Israelis, including in ongoing cases and investigations, in order to prevent him from directly influencing the activities of the security and judicial services.
Prior to the ruling, Ben-Gwer had stated through his lawyer that he would not enter into any negotiations if the court issued interim orders that would restrict his powers. He also stressed that in such cases, he would seek a final court order rather than compromise.
He said that linking the dialogue to the issuance of judicial orders was unacceptable and that any such restriction would eliminate his powers as a minister.
In contrast, the court explained that its aim at this stage was to achieve a simpler solution than dismissing the minister by creating binding understandings, the violation of which could subsequently lead to more drastic steps, including his removal from office.
In light of the escalating dispute between Ben-Gweir and the judiciary, the court is seeking to institutionalize a mechanism that would ensure that the minister’s conduct is subject to legal scrutiny, lest it trigger a legal and political confrontation that could escalate if efforts to reach a settlement fail by a deadline set in May.
The court’s ruling puts Ben-Gwer before a legal test: a commitment or compromise, or a conflict that could lead to his dismissal. The ruling comes amid an ongoing legal dispute over Ben-Gwer’s powers.
The cabinet’s legal advisor last January demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be ordered to dismiss Ben-Gwer, accusing him of abusing his position to illegally influence police activity, especially in sensitive cases related to law enforcement and investigations.
The cabinet had previously rejected these requests in December, calling the protests by opposition institutions an illegal attempt to dismiss the minister because of his political views and discourse.