The Attorney General Law (Legal Opinions, Representation and Oversight), 2026, enacted by the Knesset on July 15, 2026, reduced the binding authority of Israel’s attorney general over the executive branch, expanded the government’s ability to obtain separate representation in court, and placed aspects of the attorney general’s work under the supervision of the justice minister. The law passed its second and third readings by 65 votes to 51 and was scheduled to enter into force on January 1, 2027.
Israel’s attorney general traditionally performs several functions combined in one office: advising the government, serving as the executive branch’s authorized interpreter of the law, representing the state in court, and heading the criminal prosecution system. Under Supreme Court precedent, the attorney general’s interpretation of existing law was binding on the government unless a court ruled otherwise. The attorney general also generally determined whether ministers could obtain separate representation when their position differed from that of the state’s legal advisers.
The legislation originated in a broader proposal promoted by Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman and other coalition legislators. The original bill would have divided the position into an attorney general and a separate prosecutor general, introduced a more political appointment and dismissal process, and aligned parts of the office more closely with the government that appointed its officeholders. After the proposal passed its first reading in May 2026, the Constitution Committee divided it into separate measures. The provisions splitting the position and restructuring the prosecution were not advanced before the end of the Knesset’s term. In contrast, the provisions concerning legal opinions, representation and supervision proceeded as a separate law.
Under the enacted law, written opinions issued by the attorney general ordinarily continue to be treated as reflecting existing law. The government, however, may decide that a particular opinion does not reflect the law and may exempt other executive agencies from following it. Such a decision must be submitted, together with the attorney general’s opinion, to the Knesset Constitution Committee or, when it concerns national security or foreign relations, to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. This power does not apply to the exercise of criminal-law powers or to authority expressly granted to the attorney general by statute.
The law also gives the government the final authority to determine the executive branch’s position in court. When the attorney general declines to present that position, or a minister believes it is not being represented adequately, the government may retain another lawyer at public expense. Once separate counsel has been appointed, the attorney general may not appear independently to present a different position without permission from the government, a ministerial committee, the relevant minister or another body authorized by the government. Criminal proceedings are exempted from this arrangement.
Additional provisions state that the attorney general is accountable to the government and subject to supervision by the justice minister. The attorney general must provide the minister with reports on the office’s activities, including, when requested, reports concerning particular matters. Safeguards allow the attorney general to withhold direct reporting when disclosure could harm an important public interest or place the minister in a conflict of interest; in such cases, the report is provided to the ombudsman responsible for complaints against state representatives in court. The law also prohibits ministers from instructing the attorney general how to handle a specific criminal proceeding.
Within 30 days of the law’s entry into force, the government must adopt a decision under the Civil Service Appointments Law concerning the procedure for appointing the attorney general. Critics argued that this provision could be used to replace the professional-public committee established following the Shamgar Commission’s recommendations and thereby increase political influence over appointments and dismissals. Supporters maintained that the legislation restored decision-making authority to elected officials and returned legal advisers to an advisory role. Justice Minister Yariv Levin called it a necessary measure to restore the elected government’s ability to implement its policies, while Rothman described it as a historic change strengthening Israeli democracy.
Opponents, including Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, opposition legislators and civil-society organizations, argued that the law removed two principal mechanisms through which the attorney general ensured that executive action complied with the law: binding legal advice and control over state representation. The Israel Democracy Institute also warned that the oversight provisions and the law’s failure to define precisely which matters belonged to the criminal sphere could expose law enforcement to political influence.
Several petitions were filed with the High Court of Justice immediately after the law passed. Petitioners included the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, the Movement for Quality Government, Democratic Party legislator Gilad Kariv, the Zulat Institute and additional former officials and legal experts. They argued that the law fundamentally impaired the rule of law, weakened the independence of the attorney general and prosecution, threatened human rights and election integrity, and gave the government power to determine for itself whether its conduct was lawful. The petitions requested that the Court invalidate the legislation and issue interim relief preventing its implementation.
Sources: Guy Lurie, “The Law to Weaken the Role of the Attorney General,” IDI, (July 9, 2026).
Guy Lurie, Amir Fuchs, “Attorney General Bill, 2026,” IDI, (July 13, 2026). [Hebrew]
“Constitution Committee Approves Attorney General Bill for Second and Third Readings,” Knesset, (July 13, 2026).
Ariela Karmel, “Coalition Passes Law Gutting Attorney General’s Powers, Removing Key Check on Government,” Times of Israel, (July 15, 2026).
Keshet Neev, Sarah Ben-Nun, “Netanyahu Coalition Passes Controversial Law Weakening Attorney General’s Authority,” Jerusalem Post, (July 15, 2026).
“Attorney General Law (Legal Opinions, Representation and Oversight), 2026,” Knesset, (July 15, 2026). [Hebrew]
“Association for Civil Rights in Israel v. Knesset, HCJ 47136-07-26,” Association for Civil Rights in Israel, (July 15, 2026). [Hebrew]
“Movement for Quality Government Petitions High Court Against Law Weakening the Attorney General,” Movement for Quality Government, (July 16, 2026).