Promotions in the judicial system: As reported in Israel Hayom, Minister Amichai Eliyahu signed two promotions in the judicial system on Tuesday morning, after receiving authority from Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and approving the appointment of the wife of Prime Minister Tzachi Braverman's chief of staff. Minister Eliyahu also signed the promotion of the head of the Netanyahu trial panel, Justice Rivka Friedman Feldman, to the position of Vice President of the Jerusalem District Court.
A statement from the court system stated: "Due to the Justice Minister's prevention, MK Yariv Levin, from discussing the case of the judges, their appointment was delayed until a government decision was made regarding the transfer of the authority given to Justice Minister Levin to Minister Amichai Eliyahu and this decision was approved by the Knesset. Subsequently, Minister Eliyahu appointed, with the consent of the President of the Supreme Court, Justice Rivka Friedman Feldman as a senior judge of the Jerusalem District Court and Justice Nava Braverman as a senior judge of the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court." It should be noted that the appointments were approved by the President of the Supreme Court, Justice Esther Hayut.
Rivka Friedman-Feldman, photo: Courts website
According to the publication at the beginning of June, Justice Braverman applied to be appointed senior judge, and the issue of her appointment recently reached President Hayut's desk. Since this is an appointment that requires the approval of the Minister of Justice and the consent of the President of the Supreme Court, Levin submitted the decision, which is expected to be approved by the Knesset soon, in order to disqualify himself from discussing Justice Braverman's promotion, due to the fact that he has a close relationship with him, and the person who will discuss granting approval for her promotion together with the President is Minister Amichai Eliyahu.
High salary increase
"Senior judge" is a promotion expressed mainly in a salary equal to a vice president or president of a court, and his status was enshrined in law in the past at the urging of the court administration, in order to allow a salary upgrade for judges without promoting them. This is done because of the lack of these positions, or to provide a solution for judges who have completed their terms as presidents or vice presidents and are forced to return to being judges. Promoting Judge Braverman to senior judge will give her salary increases of thousands of shekels.
Netanyahu's Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman, Photo: Dudi Vaknin
The text of Levin's government decision does not say that he transfers his powers over the appointment of a senior judge, but rather the appointment of vice presidents and presidents of the magistrate and district courts, but the Justice Ministry says that the provision of the law on vice presidents and presidents also applies to senior judges.
The appointment of Vice Presidents and Presidents of Peace and District requires the approval of the Minister of Justice and the consent of President Hayut, and does not require a meeting of the Judicial Selection Committee. As such, the decision does not apply to the possibility that Judge Braverman will want to proceed to the District Court. In that case, Levine would have to disqualify himself in a different way.
Judge Braverman has tried unsuccessfully in the past to advance to the District Court. In 2017, the media reported that her husband, while serving as cabinet secretary at the time, asked the committee members to promote her to the District Court.
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