Israel's Supreme Court Weighs Ousting Ben-Gvir; He Fires Back: "I'm Not a Potted Plant"

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Israel's Supreme Court is holding a hearing this morning (Wednesday) on petitions seeking to dismiss National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, before an expanded panel of nine justices. The hearing is expected to last for many hours and will be conducted under unusual restrictions, after the court administration decided to close the hall to the general public over fears of disturbances and unrest.  

At the heart of the hearing is the question of Ben-Gvir's fitness to continue in office, alongside an examination of how his conduct has affected police work. Despite the closed doors, members of Knesset from both the coalition and the opposition were allowed to enter.

Ben-Gvir declared at the entrance to the hearing: "Baharav-Miara claims that I am changing policy and the police. That I interfere in appointments in order to implement my policy. She is right".

He added: "The people of Israel chose me and Otzma Yehudit to lead all these things and, Baruch Hashem, we succeeded. This is not democracy, and I demand to investigate and arrest Baharav-Miara and Ronen Bar".

Ben-Gvir continued: "She says I set policy and change the police? She is right. She says I appointed more than 1,100 officers to implement my policy? She is right. She says I give backing to the fighters and that I support 'Koach 100' in the face of the blood libel against them? She is right. The people of Israel chose me and Otzma Yehudit to lead all these things and, Baruch Hashem, we succeeded".

He also said: "I'm not the prosecution's model. I'm not a potted plant. I'm a minister who was elected to govern. The attorney general wants a minister for ceremonies; the people of Israel want a minister of action. The only reason we are here today is that I kept my word to the voters: I promised policy, I promised governance, I promised that I would control my office—this is exactly what I did—and that's what the fired adviser can't stand".

Justice Minister Yariv Levin this morning voiced strong opposition to holding the hearing at all and made clear that it is "contrary to law," which, he said, would render it void: "The authority to appoint or dismiss a minister is granted by law to the prime minister and not to the court. My friend, Minister Ben-Gvir, will continue to serve in his position, by virtue of the people's decision and the Knesset's confidence".

The minister's office announced earlier that Ben-Gvir would arrive at the court complex with a podium and accompanied by ministers and Knesset members from his party, with the aim of delivering a statement to the media. In a tweet he posted this morning, Ben-Gvir wrote: "They are afraid".

Last night, the minister attacked the legal process: "The High Court will hear the bizarre and anti-democratic request to oust me. The fired adviser Gali Baharav-Miara says that I set policy, change the police, interfere in appointments, back fighters, support 'Koach 100,' and stand behind Israel Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi. The truth — she is right.

That's what I was elected for. Not to be a potted plant, not to cut ribbons, and not to be the prosecution's model. I was elected to govern. The people chose right-wing to get right-wing. No attorney general will set policy, no prosecution will appoint officers, and none of their emissaries will overturn the will of the voter. We were elected to govern, and with Hashem's help we will govern".