High Court of Justice Judge Elyakim Rubinstein today dismissed a petition by Major General Yoav Galant for an injunction for the government not to cancel his appointment as the next IDF chief of staff at today's cabinet meeting. Rubinstein said, however, that a three-judge panel of the High Court of Justice will review the petition on Tuesday, and instructed Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to update the government about Galant's petition.
Galant filed the petition with the High Court of Justice earlier this morning. Shortly afterwards, Weinstein asked the court not to issue an injunction against the cancelation of Galant's appointment. Rubinstein agreed with Weinstein's position.
The petition states that the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak's decision to cancel Galant's appointment, because of matters related to honesty, is illegal.
Galant claims that the Turkel committee for senior government appointments, which is authorized by the government to examine the honesty of candidates for the post of IDF chief of staff, unanimously approved Galant's candidacy for the post in August 2010, on the basis of information in its possession. Galant argues that only the Turkel committee has the authority to review this decision and decide on honesty aspects of his appointment.
This morning, the IDF announced that Netanyahu and Barak will send their recommendation to appoint Major General Benjamin Gantz as the IDF’s 20th chief of staff to the Turkel committee for approval. After the committee approves the recommendation, it will be sent to the cabinet for final approval.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 6, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011