Israel’s Parliament Votes to Split Attorney General Role into Two Separate Positions

Israel’s parliament has approved a proposal to divide the role of Attorney General into two separate positions: a Government Legal Advisor and a Chief Prosecutor. The Knesset’s plenary session voted 59 to 45 in favour of the constitutional committee’s decision on Tuesday, backed by coalition members including MKs Hanoch Milwitzky and Yitzhak Kroizer who initiated the legislation.

The proposed split would separate the government’s legal counsel function from the prosecution responsibilities currently held by a single Attorney General. This represents a significant restructuring of Israel’s legal system, as the Attorney General has historically held both roles simultaneously, acting as the chief legal advisor to the government while also serving as the head of the State’s prosecution service.

The vote reflects the government coalition’s support for the measure, though the significant opposition from 45 lawmakers indicates considerable political and institutional concern about fragmenting these traditionally unified roles. The move remains controversial among legal professionals and opposition politicians, who argue that maintaining both functions under one authority ensures coherence in the justice system.

Source: Walla News — Original article in Hebrew.