Beinisch to PM: I know you won't harm the courts

Netanyahu pays rare ministerial visit to High Court of Justice ahead of President Beinisch's retirement.

By HERB KEINON
PM Netanyahu and High Court president Beinisch_390 (photo credit: Moshe Milner/GPO)
PM Netanyahu and High Court president Beinisch_390
(photo credit: Moshe Milner/GPO)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu paid a rare prime ministerial visit to the Supreme Court on Sunday to meet and express publicly his appreciation for the outgoing president of the court, Dorit Beinisch.
Beinisch will retire February 28, and be succeeded by Asher Dan Grunis.
In a meeting with all the Supreme Court justices, Netanyahu thanked Beinisch, and said she served “beautifully” during a difficult period, even though she was unable to respond directly to her critics.
“I think the independence of the courts is something obvious and necessary,” Netanyahu said. “In Israel the court was, and will remain, independent,” Netanyahu said. “Any attempts to harm the independence of the courts will fall. I shelved any proposal intended to harm or in any way cut into the independence of the court.”
Beinisch said she was moved by Netanyahu’s comments.
“Maybe everyone doesn’t always know it, but in very difficult moments... I was very concerned that harm could be done to our system,” Beinisch said to Netanyahu. “And I knew that, as you said today, your background, world view, and everything you represent would not allow any harm come to the court.”
Beinisch said that both professionally and personally she knew Netanyahu would not abandon the court.
“That is important,” she said. “We are strong, very strong, but we also need the backing of the responsible authorities, and I felt that existed.”