High Court rejects petition to fire Bennett as defense minister

The court essentially endorsed Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit's position.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett [L] shaking hands with IDF Major General Herzi Halevi [R] (photo credit: ARIEL HERMONI/DEFENSE MINISTRY)
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett [L] shaking hands with IDF Major General Herzi Halevi [R]
(photo credit: ARIEL HERMONI/DEFENSE MINISTRY)
The High Court of Justice rejected a petition to fire Naftali Bennett from remaining defense minister on Thursday.
The court essentially endorsed Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit's position that even though the appointment of Bennett to become a top minister was legally problematic during a transitional government period, it should not be retracted.
Both Mandelblit and the court said that Bennett has already been in office for a couple of months and that with the election set for March 2, he will only be in a transitional position for a short additional period.
Shortly after March 2, Bennett will either be permanently confirmed by a new government or will be replaced by a new permanent defense minister.
Either way, said the High Court and Mandelblit, it did not make sense to fire Bennett when the current legal problem would not last long.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed Bennett to try to maintain his support for him remaining premier in the period between the second and third elections when the right and left-wing blocs were competing for a 61 MK majority.