High Court Justice Menachem Mazuz to retire in April
The judge was expected to continue serving until 2025.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBHigh Court of Justice prepares for hearing on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can form the next government, May 3, 2020(photo credit: COURTESY HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE)
Supreme Court Justice Menachem Mazuz announced Monday that he would retire in April 2021.Mazuz has served on the court since 2014 and was expected to serve until 2025.There was no explanation by the court spokeswoman other than he was retiring for “personal issues.”Mazuz expressed great pride in his service in the court and in his prior decades of public service, including as attorney-general.If the current coalition had served out its term until October 2023, there were five justices due to retire and to be replaced: Hanan Melcer in April 2021, Neal Hendel and George Kara in 2022 and Chief Justice Esther Hayut and Anat Baron in October of 2023.Mazuz was expected to serve in the next government, but will now need to be replaced in April along with Melcer.It was unclear how this would work given that in April there may not be a coalition.There was some speculation that Mazuz hoped to be replaced while Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn is still in office and before any new government may form.Mazuz and Nissenkorn are both part of the country’s more liberal camp.
