Supreme Court Justice Yael Wilner Joins Judicial Selection Committee
Supreme Court Justice Yael Wilner will replace Justice Dafna Barak-Erez on the Judicial Selection Committee. The move comes amid ongoing legal challenges against the coalition's judicial reform law, which alters future committee appointments.
Judicial Selection Committee Changes
Supreme Court Justice Yael Wilner will replace Justice Dafna Barak-Erez on the Judicial Selection Committee, as Barak-Erez concludes a three-year term. The rotation is carried out in accordance with the Courts Law and the Basic Law: The Judiciary, which mandates that at least one woman serve among the Supreme Court representatives on the committee. Consequently, Justice Wilner was chosen rather than Justice David Mintz, who precedes her in seniority.
The Judicial Selection Committee currently consists of nine members representing the three branches of state: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The current panel includes three Supreme Court justices, the Minister of Justice, another government minister, two members of the Knesset, and two professional representatives from the Israel Bar Association.
Legal Reform and High Court Petitions
As part of the government's judicial overhaul, the current coalition legislated a law altering the committee's composition. The law was approved by the Knesset in March 2025 after the opposition walked out of the plenum, and it is slated to take effect only in the upcoming Knesset.
A series of petitions have been filed against the new legislation, which dramatically alters the judicial appointment process by shifting influence from professional figures to politicians. The law stands at the core of the judicial reform that the government has pursued, sparking widespread public protest and immense criticism. The Supreme Court has already issued an order nisi on the petitions, placing the burden of proof on the government to explain why the law should not be overturned.
Court Proceedings and Political Power Shifts
During court proceedings in June, Supreme Court Justice Yitzhak Amit, presiding over the panel, addressed the sweeping implications of the legislation:
"The starting point, which is undisputed, is that the legislative amendments effect a significant change in the way judges have been appointed in Israel for seven decades. In short, until now there were nine members on the Judicial Selection Committee—four from the political echelon alongside five jurists. Until now, appointing a Supreme Court justice required a majority of seven members. The new arrangement strengthens the power of the political echelon on the committee. It was decided to remove the Israel Bar Association representatives from the committee, replacing them with two political appointments chosen by public figures. Thus, the new committee composition will include a built-in majority of six representatives from the political echelon alongside three judges."
