State Attorney Defends Prosecutorial Independence and Calls for More Resources

State Attorney Amit Aisman called for greater investment in the prosecution service while defending its professional independence in a speech on Sunday evening, November 8. Addressing the Justice Ministry’s annual professional training conference in Eilat, he said the office must represent the state and the public interest within the law, including when it disagrees with elected leaders. “The State Attorney’s Office is not the government’s private law firm,” Aisman said. He also said he respects the elected leadership’s authority to set policy and advance changes it believes in. He called for investment in people, staffing positions, technology and infrastructure, describing those resources as necessary for a faster and more effective prosecution service. Aisman described the preceding three years as a period of complex and unprecedented challenges for state institutions. He said prosecutors had dealt with a changing security situation and unprecedented legal questions while continuing their regular responsibilities, including protecting state assets and representing the state in court. Addressing suspicions concerning election integrity, Aisman said an investigation in a democracy requires an evidentiary basis that justifies opening it, particularly before questioning a person under caution. He emphasized cooperation and mutual respect between institutions alongside the preservation of each institution’s professional independence, saying effective professional work serves Israel and the public.