The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday voted to back a pair of controversial bills intended to give the government greater control over senior appointments, despite the Attorney General’s Office warning that, if passed, the legislation would harm the public and “turn government companies into a pool of jobs for appointing associates.”

The first bill, sponsored by Likud MK Avichai Boaron, would loosen the rules for appointing the heads of government corporations, such as the Mekorot water company or Israel Electric Corporation, granting ministers far greater leeway than previously allowed.

Under the current system, ministers nominate candidates from a pool of qualified candidates who are screened and vetted by an independent committee. However, Boaron’s bill would allow ministers to directly nominate candidates of their choice, including those who do not meet the current educational and experience requirements.

The bill would also narrow the definition of political, personal, and business ties that disqualify a candidate while also allowing the relevant ministers to appoint the head of the committee vetting the suitability of their chosen candidate.

In a statement, the Attorney General’s Office slammed the Boaron’s bill, declaring that it would “turn government companies into a pool of positions for the appointment of insiders.”

Such changes “harm the professionalism of the companies’ management and will harm the perception of their credibility and professionalism in the competitive business environment in Israel and abroad,” and will cause economic damage, the statement argued.

Edna Harel Fisher, the head of the Israel Democracy Institute’s Public Corruption Program, agreed, telling The Times of Israel that the proposed legislation sought “to fundamentally change key arrangements in the management of........

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