The Attorney General and the Legal Advisory System
Israel's Attorney General is a civil servant, not an elected politician. The office advises the government on the law, heads the state prosecution, and represents the state in court. Since a 1993 High Court of Justice ruling, the Attorney General's legal opinions have been treated as binding on the government unless a court rules otherwise. Since 2000, a public-professional committee has proposed candidates, and the holder serves a single six-year term. Each ministry's legal adviser answers to the Attorney General on professional matters. On 4 August 2025 the government voted to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. On 14 December 2025 the High Court voided that dismissal. On 15 July 2026 the Knesset passed, by 65 votes to 51, a law that allows the government to declare the Attorney General's non-criminal opinions non-binding. The law takes effect on 1 January 2027, after the election of 27 October 2026.
