JERUSALEM – Israel’s government has voted to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, escalating a profound conflict between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition and the country's legal establishment. The unanimous cabinet decision, made late on Monday, targets a key figure who has vocally opposed the government's judicial overhaul and is overseeing the prosecution in the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial.

The move, spearheaded by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, plunges Israel into further political turmoil at a time when it faces immense international pressure over the war in Gaza and mounting internal dissent. Critics immediately condemned the decision as a grave threat to Israeli democracy, while government supporters defended it as necessary to implement their electoral mandate.

In a statement following the vote, Levin accused Baharav-Miara of "acting in complete opposition to the government's policies" and causing "unprecedented harm" to its functioning. The government has long argued that the attorney general, an appointee of the previous administration, has deliberately obstructed its agenda.

A Clash Over the Rule of Law

The conflict between Netanyahu’s government and Baharav-Miara has been a defining feature of Israeli politics for over a year. Appointed in 2022, she became a bulwark against the coalition's contentious plan to overhaul the judiciary, which sought to curb the Supreme Court's power and give the government more control over judicial appointments.

Baharav-Miara consistently argued that the proposed changes would undermine the country's democratic checks and balances. Her office issued legal opinions against key parts of the legislation, forcing the government into protracted battles in the Knesset and the High Court of Justice.

Furthermore, her position as the head of the state's prosecution puts her in direct conflict with Netanyahu, who is on trial for charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The prime minister denies all wrongdoing, labeling the investigations a politically motivated "witch hunt." Under Israeli law, the attorney general has the final say on the state's case against him.

Widespread Condemnation and Legal Challenges Ahead

Opposition leaders and civil society groups reacted with fury to the cabinet's vote. Yair Lapid, head of the opposition, called the move "a declaration of war on the rule of law" and a "disgraceful act designed to help a criminal defendant escape justice."

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a prominent watchdog group, announced it would immediately petition the High Court of Justice to block the dismissal. Legal experts widely expect the court to intervene, setting the stage for a constitutional showdown.

"This is an unprecedented and illegal firing of a gatekeeper," the movement said in a statement. "A government mired in conflicts of interest is trying to seize absolute power."

The dismissal process is not immediate. The cabinet's decision must now withstand scrutiny from the High Court, which has historically protected the independence of the attorney general's office. A protracted legal battle is all but certain, which could paralyze government functions and further inflame public protests, which had previously drawn hundreds of thousands to the streets against the judicial overhaul.

This domestic crisis unfolds as Israel's relationship with its closest ally, the United States, becomes increasingly strained over the conduct and duration of the war in Gaza. Analysts suggest that the perception of democratic backsliding could further complicate diplomatic efforts and erode international support for Israel at a critical moment. The coming weeks will test the resilience of Israel’s democratic institutions as the legal and political battles over the attorney general's fate come to a head.