The Knesset on Tuesday night passed a law altering the process for appointing the Commissioner for the Review of Judges. Under the new law, approved by a vote of 56 in favor and 48 against, the Commissioner will be appointed by a committee led by the Justice Minister, with most committee members being politicians or coalition-backed appointees. This marks a shift from the old system, where the Committee for the Selection of Judges approved a candidate who was jointly nominated by the Justice Minister and the President of the Supreme Court.
The judicial review commissioner is legally authorized to investigate complaints regarding judges’ conduct while performing their duties, including in the handling of their cases. The commissioner’s authority applies to secular and rabbinical judges, as well as legal registrars.
MK Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee who spearheaded the new law, stated before the plenary vote that “for the past two years, it has been impossible to voice complaints about the judicial system.” He asserted that “judges have consistently resisted criticism.” Rothman urged opposition representatives “not to take part in the fight against oversight and to allow the public, through the judicial review commissioner, to fulfill its role in scrutinizing the judiciary.”