This week the 19th Knesset was officially dissolved and the citizens of Israel face another round of elections which will take place on March 17, 2015. The recent struggles within the government and the subsequent dismissal of Ministers Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni led to an unprecedented intervention in the election process by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein.
In a farewell ceremony held at the Ministry of Justice Attorney General Weinstein described Minister Livni as “the guardian of democracy,” and added “it seems to me that the public in Israel can’t give up on your skills, your honesty and your abilities.” These comments are a breach of the election laws and the Attorney General guidelines. According to the election law, state employees are not permitted to take part in election propaganda.
Furthermore, Weinstein also breached the guidelines of the attorney general, which states “a description of personal achievements of the minister or of a worker in the ministry,” or an announcement “that has an emphasis and preference for controversial policy in the public that isn’t in the frame of clear declared policy of the ministry,” is forbidden in election periods.
Attorney Yossi Fuchs from the Legal Forum criticized Attorney General Weinstein for interfering in the election process. “He who is supposed to ensure that civil servants refrain from political involvement has himself transgressed by publicly expressing support for a political candidate. The Attorney General has crossed the red line between expressing appreciation for the out-going Minister and supporting a politician who is bidding for the public’s support”. This case is one more example of the growing need for transparency and trust in the judicial system.
To that end, this week Knesset Speaker MK Edelstein announced the launching of the”National Legislative Database”. This initiative was advanced by former Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Knesset, attorney Dan Landau, who worked with the Legal Forum prior to his appointment. The database, which can be accessed through the Knesset website, contains every law that has ever been enacted in the State of Israel, including the different versions of the law from the day it was put on the Knesset agenda until the day it was passed in its third reading.
