Gali Baharav-Miara
Gali Baharav-Miara is the Attorney General of Israel, serving as the government's chief legal advisor and head of the public prosecution since February 2022. Her tenure has been marked by significant legal friction with the governing coalition over judicial reform, Haredi enlistment, and ministerial conduct.
Gali Baharav-Miara assumed office as Israel's first female Attorney General in February 2022, following a distinguished career in the State Attorney's Office, including serving as the Tel Aviv District Attorney for Civil Affairs. Her role is dual-faceted: she acts as the primary legal advisor to the cabinet while simultaneously overseeing the state's prosecution apparatus. This structural duality has placed her at the center of Israel's most intense constitutional and political debates. Her tenure has been defined by persistent friction with the executive branch, particularly regarding the government's judicial reform initiatives and the legal boundaries of ministerial authority. Baharav-Miara has frequently issued warnings that certain government decisions undermine the fundamental principles of the rule of law in a democratic state.
A primary flashpoint involves National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir; the Attorney General has petitioned the High Court of Justice to order his dismissal, citing his repeated and allegedly illegal interference in operational police matters. This move followed her assessment that significant gaps remain regarding the core principle of police independence. Additionally, she has been a central figure in the legal battle over Haredi military enlistment, characterizing alternative civilian service tracks proposed by the government as a "bypass" of IDF enlistment. Most recently, she has challenged the Communications Law, urging the High Court to issue an interim order against it to prevent what she describes as a severe blow to the free media market. Within the political sphere, Baharav-Miara faces sharp criticism from coalition members who view her actions as an overreach of unelected legal authority. This has led to direct calls for her dismissal, including an ultimatum from the Otzma Yehudit party. Conversely, her supporters frame her positions as a necessary defense of the judiciary's independence and the integrity of Israeli democracy. The Zioneer Intelligence Desk continues to monitor her office as a critical barometer for the balance of power between Israel’s elected leadership and its legal establishment.