Judges: Penalize court pres. for negative remarks

Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court judges are asking for an investigation and disciplinary action against Magistrate's Court president Edna Bekenstein after negative remarks she made about other judges were printed in Haaretz.

The judges are requesting Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch and judiciary ombudsmen for judges, retired judge Eliezer Goldberg look into the comments, which were printed in the Hebrew edition of Haaretz yesterday.

In responding to her critics over the appointment of her deputy, Judge Eliyahu Keidar, as her temporary replacement for the coming months, Bekenstein praised Keidar and shot back at the other judges in the paper.

"Every one of them thinks they are worthy to do this job. They all want the job. All kinds of ne'er-do-wells," she said. "It makes me angry that people are jealous, and hurt their colleague."

The Courts Administration yesterday confirmed that the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court judges had registered a complaint against Bekenstein for her remarks.

The Courts Administration said Beinisch "expressed regret at the remarks against the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, judges who are doing their work faithfully."

The Courts Administration also said that a temporary substitute for Bekenstein would be taken under advisement soon

Bekenstein had announced unilaterally last week that Keidar would replace her for the next few months, until she leaves her post in March 2009. Bekenstein will apparently be on sabbatical until she leaves.

"The appointment of Judge Keidar was made by President Bekenstein alone," the Courts Administration said in response to Bekenstein's decision.

Keidar's appointment, without consultation or coordination with the Courts Administration and Supreme Court President Beinisch, as would be expected regarding one of the central posts in the judicial system, raised hackles among the judges.

They were also angered that Bekenstein had appointed Keidar over other outstanding judges in the magistrate's court system.

Bekenstein is in charge of some 120 judges and registrars in the Tel Aviv and Herzliya Magistrate's Courts.

Keidar's temporary appointment may give him a significant advantage in the coming months when search committees will begin recommending candidates to replace district and magistrate's court presidents who are leaving the bench.

In a statement for Goldberg, a spokesman for the Justice Ministry said the confidentiality required by law prevented the ombudsman's office from confirming receipt of a complaint against Bekenstein.