by Jeremy Sharon at Times of Israel
Sides given until April 20 to reach a compromise; disturbances dominated start of 11-hour session, with court forced to remove all protesters, including Likud MK Tally Gotliv
The High Court of Justice issued an interim injunction on Tuesday stating that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar must remain in office until further notice and giving the government and the attorney general until April 20 to reach a compromise over the legal dispute surrounding the unprecedented vote last month to fire him.
The court told the government that it cannot take any action to remove Bar from office while the interim injunction is in place, including declaring that it has found his replacement, and must not impede his authorities as Shin Bet chief or change the working relationship between the government and the domestic security agency. The court said, however, that interviews for a replacement can still be conducted.
The decision came after an 11-hour hearing on petitions filed against the firing. It began chaotically when protesters, including Likud MK Tally Gotliv, disrupted proceedings so severely that the judges were forced to suspend the hearing and later to order Gotliv and other protesters forcibly removed from the court.
Throughout the hearing, all three judges expressed concern over procedural flaws in the way Bar was fired; the court president also opined that the attorney general had been right to tell the government to consult a key advisory committee before dismissing the security chief.
At the hearing’s conclusion,…
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