Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman reportedly plans to push forward a controversial bill to split the role of attorney general into two separate positions once the Knesset returns from its recess this fall.
According to a Ynet report from the start of this week, the right-wing chair of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will fast-track the legislation through a preliminary vote in October.
The bill is expected to pass its preliminary reading, since it has already been approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. Once it gets through the plenum, the legislation will move on to Rothman’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee for debate.
The bill seeks to divide the role of attorney general into two, creating a new prosecutor general position that is distinct from, and subject to, the attorney general.
The so-called prosecutor general would be nominated by the justice minister and approved by the committee Rothman heads.
The powerful lawmaker is considered one of the key figures of the judicial overhaul effort, with his committee having approved several key laws in the coalition’s efforts to subordinate the judicial system to elected politicians.
MK Simcha Rothman leads a Constitution, Law and Justice Committee meeting at the Knesset on July 21, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has come out strongly against the bill to split her office and submitted a legal opinion several months ago to the government, calling it an attempt at “weakening the safeguards that uphold the rule of law.”
“The proposed laws, and the timing of their introduction, are part of the judicial reform, a broad initiative aimed at weakening the safeguards that uphold the rule of law,” read the opinion written by her deputy, Gil Limon, as quoted by Ynet. “All this is being done in a hasty move, through private bills… that lack a professional or factual foundation.
She further accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political allies of pushing the bill out of “personal interest” given the premier’s ongoing corruption trial, and the bad blood between Baharav-Miara and the ruling coalition.
“There is serious concern that personal interests are involved in promoting the proposal by certain members of Knesset and government ministers who are under criminal investigation or facing criminal proceedings, including the Prime Minister himself,” continued the letter.
The law would not affect the attorney general’s authority as the government’s legal adviser, who interprets the law for the government, or the attorney general’s role in representing the government in legal proceedings against its actions and legislation.
Baharav-Miara has been regularly denounced by members of the current government, which voted in August to fire her from her post, though the High Court of Justice decided unanimously Monday to recommend the government cancel the decision.
Jeremy Sharon contributed to this report.
