Last update - 00:00 14/02/2007
Justice Minister may delay meeting to appoint Supreme Court justices
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent
New Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann wants to influence the list of candidates for seats on the Supreme Court, and toward this end, he is considering postponing the meeting of the Judicial Appointments Committee scheduled for March 25.
That meeting is slated to discuss new Supreme Court appointments.
However, the new minister has no intention of changing the list of magistrate's and district court candidates, which was issued last week. The committee will meet as scheduled in two weeks to discuss these appointments.
Friedmann's plans were revealed after his first working meeting with Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch Tuesday. After this two-hour meeting, the two released a laconic joint statement. "Many ongoing issues were discussed, including urgent issues on the agenda," it said.
Friedmann and Beinisch did not agree on whether to postpone the March 25 Judicial Appointments Committee session, nor did they decide whether to extend the temporary appointments of Justices David Cheshin and Dvora Berliner, which expire at the end of this month. According to the press release, "the issue of selecting Supreme Court justice will be examined at a later date."
Beinisch asked Friedmann to approve the permanent appointment of Judge Moshe Gal as director of the Courts Administration, but no decision was reached. The two agreed to hold additional working meetings, but no date was set for the next one.
After the meeting, attorney Chaim Stanger appealed to Friedmann, on behalf of former journalist Ben Zion Citrin, not to postpone the March 25 committee meeting on Supreme Court appointments. Stanger, whose client petitioned the High Court of Justice on this issue a few weeks ago, told the justice minister that he was bound by the ministry's promise to the High Court last month to convene the Judicial Appointments Committee on time. If necessary, Stanger intends to take legal action against Friedmann to guarantee that the meeting is held.