Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has told the High Court of Justice that Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s refusal to appoint judges to magistrate and district courts is unlawful and is causing ongoing harm to the justice system. She said there are currently 51 judicial vacancies nationwide, a number expected to rise to 66 by the end of the year, worsening delays in legal proceedings.

In her submission, Baharav-Miara argued that the minister’s conduct is arbitrary and fails to meet the needs of the courts. She maintained that his refusal to fully convene the Judicial Selection Committee violates his legal duty and damages both the judiciary and litigants awaiting decisions.

Although Levin recently announced plans to convene the committee, he limited the agenda to appointments in youth, family, and traffic courts, excluding key vacancies in magistrate and district courts. Senior justices accused him of abusing his authority, while the attorney general urged the court to intervene, stating that the current course of action contravenes the law and deepens the crisis in the courts.