Slippery Slope

Judges are not obliged to report to the court’s management about lawsuits to which they or their family members are parties.

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

An IDF officer charged with assaulting and badly beating an Israeli Bedouin civilian at a roadblock in December was sentenced to 75 days of military work, demotion and a suspended sentence for two years as part of a plea bargain authorized by the Jaffa military tribunal on Monday. The court banned the release of the defendant’s identity until May this year. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Bank of Israel delayed publication of a review criticizing the government until after the elections. The official reason for the delay is that traditionally the review is submitted along with the state budget which has not yet been submitted.

(Hebrew)

The Ministry of Interior has been charging higher fees than those stipulated by law for processing freedom of information requests regarding family reunification requests by residents of East Jerusalem. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Finance Minister Yuval Shteinitz (Likud), who received an award on Monday from the settlement movement, said during a radio interview that budgets for Judea and Samaria were doubled by the current government, but that it was done with a low profile for fear that the move would be foiled by elements in Israel and abroad. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Seven government offices, including the Prime Minister’s Office, did not publish an annual report, as mandated by the Freedom of Information Act, even though the reports should have been published in July.

(Hebrew – News1)

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation refuses to disclose how its members vote on proposed bills. The committee decided that a bill sponsored by MK Orly Levi-Abukasis (Yisrael Beiteinu ) calling on the Ministerial Committee for Legislation to divulge the reasons for its decisions, will be opposed by the coalition. 

The Internal Auditors of several Government Ministries appealed to the High Court of Justice, claiming the government prevents them from carrying out their duties by limiting their staffing budgets.

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has presented a framework for the creation of an internal auditing body for the State Attorney’s Office, which will not have the authority to handle public complaints.

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

The chief of security at the IDF’s Intelligence arm, code-named “Max”, has applied to Tel-Aviv District Court judge Dalia Ganot for a gag order regarding the compensation suit filed against the state by “Captain George”, who was responsible for the interrogation of Mustafa Dirani and whose identity remains confidential, and for the proceedings to be held behind closed doors.

(Hebrew)