Netanyahu dismisses top minister Aryeh Deri after Supreme Court ruling

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahudismissed ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Aryeh Deri from his posts as Interior and Health Minister this Sunday, following a Supreme Court ruling that ordered his departure from the Government last week due to his multiple convictions for corruption.

“It is with a heavy heart, with a heavy heart, that I am compelled to remove you from your post as Minister.”indicates a letter signed by Netanyahureleased by his office after the weekly meeting of the council of ministers, in which he promises to find the “legal formula” so that he can continue serving the State of Israel.

LOOK: Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrate against the Netanyahu government

The Supreme Court of Israel decided on Wednesday to annul the ministerial appointments of Deriparty leader ultra-orthodox shahs, considering that they were “extremely unreasonable” and that his last conviction for tax fraud in February of last year disqualifies him from being part of the Government.

A) Yes, Deribeing the most experienced member of the Government of Netanyahuleaves his positions after only 26 days of having held them. The dismissal will take effect in 48 hours and members of his Shas party are expected to be appointed in his place.

Along with his extensive career as a minister, which began in 1988 in the Interior portfolio, Deri has a long history of corruption, including a conviction and imprisonment in 2000 for taking bribes and a tax fraud indictment in February 2022.

LOOK: UN Security Council will address the visit of the ultra-right Israeli minister to the Esplanade of the Mosques

In this last process, he managed to avoid prison in exchange for accepting a plea agreement that disqualified him from holding public office and promised him to leave politics.

“This unfortunate decision ignores the will of the people,” Netanyahu said. in his letter, stressing that Deri it is “an anchor of experience, intelligence and responsibility”.

GO BACK AT ALL COSTS

“I intend to continue to contribute with all my strength to the public and to the coalition, to continue to lead the Shas movement, to continue to participate in the meeting of the heads of the factions of the coalition and to promote the important legal movements for which this Government was elected,” Deri warned.

Following the Supreme Court ruling, Deri lobbied to be appointed deputy prime minister, in an attempt to circumvent his disqualification as minister.

But this appointment would bring complications, as it would likely require the government to dissolve and submit to a new vote of confidence in Parliament. Even if this were done, the Supreme Court could also invalidate that appointment.

According to the local press, Deri’s dismissal was consensualwhile the coalition tries to find a solution that allows the ultra-Orthodox to remain a member of the Government, even as an “observer”.

The ultra-Orthodox demands to maintain a high position as a condition to maintain his support for the new Executivewhich needs the eleven deputies of Shas, the second force with more seats within the coalition after the Likud of Netanyahu.

To allow the investiture of Deri As a minister despite his conviction, Parliament approved in December “ad hoc” a law that, modifying the Basic Law, now only disqualifies senior public officials who have gone to prison. That part of Deri’s sentence was suspended after the plea agreement was reached.

CONTROVERSIAL JUDICIAL REFORM

Another change in legislation, this time through the judicial reform that the Government is promoting to grant more power to the Legislature to the detriment of Justice, could bring Deri back to his ministries, since it would allow a simple parliamentary majority to annul an opinion of the Supreme that implies repealing a law or government decision.

In addition, the reform would eliminate the so-called “reasonableness” assumption by which the Supreme Court can prevent the appointment of senior political officials if it considers that they have violated the law, as has happened with Deri.

Netanyahu has held ministerial posts in addition to his prime ministership in the past, but he is unable to do so this time because he himself is indicted and being prosecuted on corruption charges, which prevents him from serving as a minister but not as a prime minister.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.