Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Monday sharply criticized proposed legislation that would split her existing role into three separate positions and effectively deprive the attorney general of authority and independence.

In a statement, she said the move would “lead to a blow to the foundations of the government, the rule of law, the fight against corruption and human rights.”

A legal position issued by the Attorney General’s Office on Monday also accused the government of advancing several bills on the issue, which passed preliminary Knesset readings in late October, in order to end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial.

Currently, when an attorney general needs to be appointed, a public, professional committee headed by a retired Supreme Court justice recommends a candidate for the cabinet to approve. The bills would split the current role of attorney general into three separate positions: a legal adviser to the government whose opinions would, unlike currently, not be binding; a prosecutor general who would be entirely beholden to politicians; and a solicitor general who would represent the government in court.

The 37-page filing by Baharav-Miara’s deputy Gil Limon argued that the legislation would politicize a currently independent position and was part of broader efforts by the government to remove checks on its power.

The paper said the legislation would remove “a vital safeguard for the democratic system,” turning the position “from a non-political one committed to the public interest into the private lawyer of the government. This is a fundamental regime change, with broad and systemic harm.” This, according to the paper, would cause “severe erosion and harm to central........

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