Israeli government votes no confidence in state attorney, opposition protests

(Patria) - The Israeli cabinet voted no confidence in the state attorney yesterday, AFP reported.

The vote against State Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara is the first step in the process for her dismissal, and came two days after the government dismissed the head of the country's internal security agency.

The Israeli Supreme Court then froze the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and Baharav-Miara warned the prime minister not to try to remove him.

The unprecedented moves to dismiss the Shin Bet chief, and now the chief state attorney, have widened divisions in the country as Israel continues its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

In a renewed protest movement, demonstrators accuse the prime minister of endangering democracy. Netanyahu's office, citing the government meeting agenda, said the government would hold a vote on Baharav-Miara "due to her inappropriate conduct and due to significant and long-standing differences between the government and the government's legal advisor."

Israel's highest court on Friday froze the government's attempt to dismiss Bar, shortly after five separate appeals were filed, including one from the center-right Yesh Atid party of opposition leader Yair Lapid.

A detailed hearing on the appeals will be held on April 8, presided over by three judges, including Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, a spokeswoman for the Israeli courts told AFP.

Yesh Atid condemned the decision to dismiss Bar as "based on a flagrant conflict of interest." Netanyahu cited a "permanent lack of trust" in Bar, who is expected to testify on April 8. The prime minister insisted it was up to the government who would lead Shin Bet.

Security sector failure

The opposition's appeal highlighted what critics see as two main reasons why Netanyahu moved against Bar. The first is his criticism of the government over the security failure that allowed the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, on Israel, the deadliest day in the country's history. The second is what the opposition's appeal cited as a Shin Bet investigation into Netanyahu's close associates on suspicion of receiving money linked to Qatar.
Netanyahu's office dismissed such allegations as "fake news."

Following the initial Supreme Court ruling, Baharav-Miara said Netanyahu could not appoint a new internal security chief.

"According to the Supreme Court's decision, it is forbidden to take any actions that harm the position of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar," she said.

"It is forbidden to appoint a new Shin Bet chief, and interviews for that position should not be held," she added.

Ahead of the vote on Baharav-Miara, hundreds of demonstrators were in front of the parliament building and the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem, leading to clashes with police.