Knesset Panel Advances Attorney General Powers Bill to Final Votes

The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approved an attorney-general powers bill Sunday evening for its second and third readings in the plenum. The expedited text leaves the attorney-general and chief-prosecutor roles unified for now, but permits the government to decide that a written legal opinion does not reflect the law and to set its own position in court. If the attorney general says that position cannot be presented, or a minister believes it will not be presented properly, the government may appoint separate counsel and bar an unauthorized appearance by the attorney general. Criminal powers remain outside those changes; a final plenum vote is expected this week.