Coalition of the Corrupt

By a TIJ Contributor

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in court. Photo: Israel Reports/Facebook

As Israel’s 37th government prepares to neuter and politicize the judiciary, it is worth mentioning the primary actors in this benighted coalition that makes the Olmert government (which included a prime minister and finance minister convicted of corruption and a justice minister convicted of sexual assault) seem like a tea party. It is hard to recall an Israeli government rife with so many convicted and indicted members, nor one where such power has been given to those who want to crush the justice system so thoroughly. For the sake of brevity, I will focus on these figures’ relationship with the justice system, rather than simply recounting the full list of scandals and controversies associated with this ruling coalition’s members.

The Architects

• Justice Minister Yariv Levin: Unlike most of the people on this list, Levin has never been convicted, indicted or been in any notable legal trouble. However, he has been a longtime advocate for decreasing the power of the court system in Israel. In his previous role as an ordinary MK or Tourism Minister, he had little ability to do so. This is especially true considering that, when he held these positions, Prime Minister Netanyahu was still saying “I believe that a strong, independent court allows for the existence of all other institutions in a democracy” and “In places with no strong and independent court system, rights cannot be protected.” As Justice Minister, Levin is now responsible for various sensitive issues, including overseeing the court system and the Attorney General’s Office, the two bodies responsible for Netanyahu’s trial. Among Levin’s plans are enacting an “override bill” that would allow a simple Knesset majority to enact laws that had been invalidated by the High Court and ensuring that a majority of the people on the Judicial Appointments Committee are politicians.
• Constitution, Law & Justice Committee Chair Simcha Rothman: Similar to his ministerial counterpart, Levin, Rothman has not had any run-ins with the law, but is just as dedicated to politicizing the selection of judges and decreasing their power. In tandem with Levin, Rothman is sponsoring a series of bills similar to Levin’s but because they are private member’s bills, they do not require legal opinions from the Attorney General.

Their Corrupt Colleagues

Likud — The Likud party is the main faction in the ruling coalition, comprising half of its 64 seats. It has been in power on and off since its first electoral victory in 1977, and for 13 out of the past 14 years under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

• Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu: Netanyahu is in his sixth term as prime minister. He served from 1996–1999, and 2009–2021, before winning an unprecedented sixth term in 2022. He appears to have overcome a three year political crisis stemming from his corruption charges, widely considered a key motivation in his newfound desire to politicize and defang the judiciary. The corruption charges Bibi is facing are as follows:
• Case 1000: receiving gifts from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian businessman James Packer in exchange for political favors
• Case 2000: Netanyahu conspired with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth (second most popular newspaper in Israel) in exchange for limiting the circulation of their chief rival, the Adelson-owned free paper, Israel HaYom.
• Case 4000: As communications minister (while also prime minister), Netanyahu intervened with regulators to benefit the Bezeq telecommunications group, including approving their acquisition of the broadcaster Yes, in exchange for positive news coverage.
• Tourism Minister Haim Katz: a longtime Likud MK and previously the Minister of Labor, Welfare and Social Services. In 2019, Katz was charged with fraud and breach of trust. In 2022, he pled guilty to conspiring to achieve a legitimate goal via illegitimate means as part of a plea bargain to avoid jail time.
• MK David Bitan: formerly a coalition whip, Bitan was charged with taking over $200,000 in bribes as a Knesset member and as deputy mayor of Rishon Lezion. The proceedings against him are still ongoing, but several figures have been convicted in connection with the case.
• MK Hanoch Milvitzky: another rookie MK, Milvitzky has allegedly covered up accusations of sexual abuse in Bnei Baruch, a religious organization dedicated to studying Kabbalah. One of the allegations is that Milvitzky provided a witness with false testimony that she was to give in court. The Israeli Bar Association is considering disciplinary measures against him stemming from claims that he signed falsified statements on behalf of female members of the organization without their knowledge.

Itamar Ben-Gvir being carried away by police in 2009 for protesting the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Photo: Moti Milrod/AP

Shas — Shas is a religious party representing the interests of religious Mizrahim and Sephardim. It has 11 seats in the current Knesset and is led by Aryeh Deri.

• (Recently Disqualified) Interior and Health Minister Aryeh Deri has been a fixture in Israeli politics since the 1980s. In 2000, he was found guilty of receiving $155,000 in bribes while serving as Interior Minister in the 1990s, and sentenced to three years in prison. After his early release, he returned to politics after a ten year ban. In 2019, he was indicted by the State Prosecutor for fraud, obstructing court proceedings, money laundering and tax offenses, but the Attorney General dropped all charges save for tax offenses. As part of a plea deal, Deri paid a fine and resigned from the Knesset in exchange for a suspended sentence. However, in 2022 he was named to both the Interior and Health Ministries, with a rotation deal for the Finance Ministry. The Supreme Court, in a 10–1 ruling, disqualified him from serving as a cabinet minister, deeming it a violation of his plea deal. One of the pieces of legislation being pushed by the coalition is a law that would allow Deri to serve as a minister despite his prior convictions and suspended sentence.
• MK Uriel Buso: Buso has been a member of the Knesset since 2020. While Deputy Mayor of Petah Tikva in 2011, Buso was indicted along with the mayor of the city on suspicion of corruption. The case was closed in 2013 due to lack of evidence and out of consideration towards Mayor Ohayon’s poor health.

United Torah Judaism — United Torah Judaism is an electoral alliance of two Ultra-Orthodox parties representing Hasidic and Haredi Jews. They have 7 seats in the current Knesset and are led by Yitzhak Goldknopf.

• Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf: a newcomer to Israeli national politics, Goldknopf has not been indicted, but has been scrutinized for a number of reasons. A nonprofit that had been led by him sold an apartment to his granddaughter without informing the registration of organizations as required, and at considerably less than market price. Goldknopf has also come under fire for unfair labor practices during his management of Beit Yaakov kindergartens and daycares. A 2008 state comptroller report found that he was paying teachers below the standard rate, and failed to pay them social benefits.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri in prison. Photo: MQGIsrael

Religious Zionism — the far right, ultranationalist Religious Zionist Party is led by Bezalel Smotrich and has 7 seats in the Knesset.

• Finance Minister & Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich: the head of the far-right Religious Zionism who refers to himself as a “fascist homophobe” and was previously well known for organizing a “Beast Parade” in protest of the Jerusalem Pride Parade. He was arrested in 2005 along with four others on the suspicion that they were planning a terrorist attack in protest of the disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Smotrich and his compatriots were caught with 700 liters of gasoline, but were released after three weeks without charges. In 2019, former deputy chief of the Shin Bet, Yitzhak Ilan, referred to Smotrich as a “terrorist,” while Smotrich denied the claims.
• National Missions Minister Orit Strook: another hardline settler leader, in 2007 her son Zvi was convicted of kidnapping and assaulting a 15-year-old Palestinian and killing one of his goats. After the court denied Strook’s appeal and extended his sentence, his mother remarked “As opposed to the court, which preferred to believe the Arab witnesses, we believe in and are certain of Zviki’s innocence, feel pain at the success of those who sought to do him ill, and will try to help him withstand this difficult verdict.”
• MK Moshe Solomon: another Knesset rookie, in 1998 he founded the NGO Hineni, an organization that seeks to support the Ethiopian-Israeli community. One of their projects is Kfar Beta Israel, which is supposed to provide employment for older Ethiopians doing agriculture with traditional methods. After being allotted four dunams of land free of charge, the organization illegally expanded to 25 dunams. Over the years, various government ministries issued Hineni notices to seek authorization for the illegal construction that were all ignored. One former employee claimed that Solomon used his political power as a member of the Jewish Home party (which controlled the Agriculture Ministry at the time) to prevent the eviction of the village. Solomon denies any wrongdoing in relation to the Beta Israel village.
• MK Zvi Sukkot: a recent addition to the Knesset who professes that settler violence is nonexistent. Sukkot is known for his past as a Hilltop Youth, extremist settlers who often attack Palestinians or build illegal outposts. In 2009, Sukkot was suspected of setting a mosque on fire in the Palestinian village of Yasuf. Sukkot denied the accusations and exercised his right to silence. The case was eventually closed for lack of evidence. In 2011, he was interrogated on suspicion of being involved in the burning of a police station commander’s car in protest of the demolition of the Alei Ayin outpost, but the case was closed again. Sukkot has also been banned from entering the West Bank several times, most recently in 2012.

Otzma Yehudit- the far right, neo-Kahanist party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir has 6 seats in the current Knesset.

• National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir: the head of Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), Ben Gvir first gained notoriety in 1995 when, on national television, he displayed the Cadillac emblem stolen from Yitzhak Rabin’s car and threatened “we got to his car, and we’ll get to him.” Several weeks later Rabin was assassinated. In 2007, Ben Gvir was convicted of racist incitement against Arabs and supporting Kach, which is considered a terror organization by the U.S. and Israel. He has been indicted more than fifty times for incitement, and was barred from military service due to his extremism.

These are the people dedicated to the destruction of the judiciary: a group of criminals and extremists unlike anything Israel has seen before. I can think of no other Israeli government formed of this many people who have been convicted, indicted, or simply have no respect for the law. There may be a need for actual judicial reform in Israel, but are these really the people you want in charge of it?