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- October 12, 202619°
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- October 12, 202619°
Netanyahu’s Consecutive Appointments Fuel Debate Over Politicization of Institutions in Israel
The appointment of Netanyahu’s close associates to key positions in Mossad, state auditing, and military secretariat has intensified concerns about the politicization of institutions ahead of elections in Israel...
The consecutive appointments of individuals close to Benjamin Netanyahu to key state positions in Israel have heightened concerns about the politicization of institutions ahead of the upcoming elections. The opposition argues that the recent appointments over the past week represent an effort by the government to increase its influence over the judiciary and security apparatus.
On Tuesday, Roman Gofman, who previously served as Netanyahu’s military secretary, was sworn in as the 14th head of Mossad, the country’s foreign intelligence agency. Gofman’s appointment brought the ongoing debate over the leadership of security institutions into sharper focus amid heightened regional tensions.
On Wednesday, in a parliamentary vote, Netanyahu’s personal lawyer Michael Rabello was elected as the state comptroller. The state comptroller is considered one of the most important institutional mechanisms overseeing government operations, and the position is appointed by the Knesset through a secret ballot for a single seven-year term.
Rabello’s election was not without controversy. Reports emerged alleging that some Likud party members were instructed to prove their votes for Rabello in the second round by taking photos. The second round of voting was subsequently redone by the decision of the Speaker of the Knesset.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Likud of "tainting" the vote and called for the election to be annulled. Lapid claimed that this was not a free choice but pressure exerted on Likud lawmakers.
On Thursday, Netanyahu announced that Guy Markizeno would be the new military secretary. This appointment also sparked a new controversy. A television channel reported that during the candidacy interview for Markizeno, Netanyahu’s wife Sara Netanyahu participated alongside the prime minister’s staff in the prime minister’s office.
Sara Netanyahu has previously been a subject of criticism for her involvement in state affairs. The report recalled that in 2023, a former military secretary said in a similar interview that he was questioned more by Sara Netanyahu than by the prime minister himself.
Left-wing politician Yair Golan wrote on social media that Israel is experiencing a deep lack of direction caused by the corruption, incitement, and decay brought by Netanyahu. This statement further escalated the political tension surrounding the appointments.
Concerns are not limited to the appointments alone. Recently, social divisions in the country have also manifested sharply on the streets through certain incidents. On Wednesday, ultra-Orthodox groups damaged the home of Noam Sohlberg, Deputy President of the Supreme Court, in a settlement in the occupied West Bank.
On the same day, after the detention of ultra-Orthodox Jews avoiding mandatory military service, main roads and railways were blocked; some protests turned violent. Former Supreme Court President Aharon Barak warned that increasing attacks on the judiciary could trigger a process leading to the assassination of a judge or even civil war.
The Netanyahu government launched a harsh agenda to weaken the judiciary immediately after taking office. This initiative sparked large weekly protests by government opponents, though the pace slowed temporarily due to the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent Gaza war.
Critics now say the ruling bloc is trying to implement as many changes as possible before the elections. The recent appointments have placed the independence of state institutions, the structure of the security bureaucracy, and the future of the judiciary at the center of this debate.
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