Netanyahu to A-G: I will appoint justice minister by May

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit informed the High Court of Justice on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him he will advance the appointment of a justice minister by the beginning of May.The position has been vacant since early April when Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s three-month term as acting justice minister expired.Since then, Netanyahu has prevented the appointment of a replacement.Mandelblit appeared to take the side of the petitioner, the Movement for the Quality of Government in Israel, criticizing the prime minister for delaying the appointment and causing major gaps in governance that require a justice minister.However, given that Netanyahu was only asking for a two-week delay, the High Court might grant the prime minister’s request, he said.Implied in Mandelblit’s legal brief to the High Court was that if Netanyahu holds up the justice minister’s appointment beyond early May, he would likely support a court-ordered appointment.Netanyahu has wanted to prevent Gantz from appointing a justice minister from his Blue and White Party. At the same time, he has been able to argue that since the government is in transition, waiting until a new government is established would be more logical.The petition also demanded that Netanyahu agree to appoint other ministers when there are vacancies, such as at the Communications Ministry.Mandelblit supported court-ordered appointments for the other ministries if the stalemate continues indefinitely, though he did not give a deadline, as with the Justice Ministry portfolio.Gantz and the petitioner parted ways with Mandelblit on the two-week delay, both demanding that the High Court order immediate appointments to all vacant ministerial positions.