Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Wednesday called on the High Court of Justice to order that Prime Minister Benjamin Netany fire National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from his position, unless the premier explains why he hasn’t done so.

In a new legal filing, Baharav-Miara accused Ben Gvir of violating court rulings and showing “contempt for the rule of law” while “systematically undermining the independence of the police.”

As such, she said that, unless there is a significant change and Netanyahu submits a filing justifying why he is not going to fire Ben Gvir, the High Court should put out an order for his removal, “stipulating that he cannot serve as the minister in charge of the Israel Police.”

“The prime minister has extremely broad discretion in matters of appointing ministers and removing them from office…but it is not an unlimited discretion or one that is immune from judicial review,” Baharav-Miara wrote.

In February, the High Court ordered Netanyahu to explain why he hasn’t fired Ben Gvir amid an ongoing court case over the far-right politician’s practices and policies in office.

“There is a concern that the government’s silence on the matter will be interpreted as de facto backing for the minister’s conduct,” Baharav-Miara wrote, noting “the prime minister has a responsibility to act regarding the minister to stop his improper conduct.”

Netanyahu’s office, along with Ben Gvir himself and other right-wing politicians, responded by slamming the attorney-general as an enemy of democracy who is harming the war effort against Iran.

“It is inconceivable that in the midst of an existential war against Iran,”........

© The Times of Israel