Israel: Secret deal between Netanyahu and Lieberman to control appointment of Supreme Court judges

A secret deal has been revealed between Israel’s Likud and Beiteinu parties that enables Knesset members from the two parties to object to the appointment of any judge at the Supreme Court.

The Likud bloc agreed with Yisrael Beitenu chairman Avigdor Lieberman to support Yisrael Beiteinu’s Robert Ilatov for membership at the Judicial Selection Committee. In return, the six members of the Yisrael Beitenu bloc at the Knesset would vote in secret elections for the nomination of a member of the Likud bloc, Nurit Corinne, to the same committee.

If Ilatov is elected, the two blocs will be able to block the appointment of any judge that they aren’t in favour of. Any judicial appointment requires a majority of seven out of nine members, and in the event of Ilatov’s election, the right-wing would have three representatives in the committee: Judge Minister Ayelet Shaked, in addition to Kahlon and Ilatov.

The elections are expected to take place on 22 July.