Justice Minister Yariv Levin requested in a filing to the High Court of Justice on Wednesday to postpone its appointment of a chief justice due to recent allegations against the leading candidate, interim chief justice Yitzhak Amit.
The request was the latest development in a series of maneuvers by Levin to avoid holding the vote, as the Judicial Selection Committee – with near certainty – will appoint Amit, and not Levin’s preferred candidate, Judge Yosef Elron.
A court ruling from December required that a chief justice be appointed by January 16, after Levin ignored a previous ruling that did not include a specific date.
Levin in his request referred to a report on Monday by Yediot Aharonot reporter Netael Bandel. Bandel reported that Amit was listed under his previous name, Yitzhak Goldfreund, in a number of legal proceedings relating to a structure owned jointly by him and his brother.
According to Bandel, Amit had not reported the proceedings and had also not reported a conflict of interest in cases regarding the Tel Aviv Municipality.
Amit explained in a written response that although his name had not been removed from the legal proceedings, he had given to his brother all legal responsibilities specifically in order to remove himself from such conflicts of interest.
The justice ministry’s legal adviser, Leah Rakover, who also serves as the legal adviser to the Judicial Selection Committee, wrote in response to a complaint from Levin that “an additional period of time” was necessary in order to examine the allegations.
Empty position for over a year
Israel has been without a chief justice since October 2023, when former chief justice Esther Hayut’s tenure ended.