Ben Gvir Needs to Go: An Amicus Curiae Request
- ACRI
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
On March 30, 2025, ACRI submitted a request to join as an amicus curiae (friend of the court) in several petitions against the reappointment of Itamar Ben Gvir as Minister of National Security. The request noted the extraordinary nature of this request: ACRI has never previously appealed to the Supreme Court regarding the legality of a minister’s appointment. However, after more than two years in office, Ben Gvir’s tenure has led to increased politicization within the police and to significant violations of human rights across a range of areas.
The request refers to actions and statements by Ben Gvir that provide backing and encouragement for police violence and extrajudicial killings; undermine investigations by the Police Internal Investigations Department into violent officers; encourage the undermining of freedom of protest and violence against demonstrators; Ben Gvir's intervention on behalf of demonstrators identified with the political right; the harms to the rights and dignity of security prisoners and detainees; incitement against Arab judges; and more. As the request states:
“The problem arising from Ben Gvir’s tenure is not his policy, but the use he makes of his position to influence those subordinate to him to violate basic human rights in a blunt and crude manner. Accordingly, the position of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel is that the case of Ben Gvir is one of the rare and exceptional cases — but also one of the clearest cases — in which judicial intervention in the appointment and continued tenure of a minister is justified.”
On April 10, 2026, the court rejected several requests to join the petition as respondents and as amici curiae, including ACRI's, “in view of considerations of procedural efficiency given the multiplicity of petitions and parties.” However, the court clarified that the submitted documents would be presented to the panel.
HCJ 9037-08-24 Gilad Cohen v. MK Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister
Request to join as amicus curiae
Attorneys: Yonatan Berman, Oded Feller
Request to join as amicus curiae, March 30, 2025 (Heb)
The decision, April 10, 2026 (Heb)
