Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructure Yuval Steinitz, has decided to postpone the release of records concerning the convening of the Committee for appointing judges until after a Knesset representative has been appointed to the committee.

In an official letter that members of Israel’s Knesset received on Sunday, they were notified that the representative to the committee will be selected on the 7th of Tevet, approximately one month from the time the letter was disseminated.

The letter which was signed by the Secretary-General of the Knesset, Yardena Meller, and was written following the resignation of MK Yisroel Eichler from the committee to appoint judges. Now it is up to the Knesset to elect another representative to the committee before the selection of judges can begin once again. That election will take place during a secret ballot of all MKs on the 7th of Teves. MKs who wish to submit an application to be elected to the committee and who do not currently serve as Ministers or Deputy Ministers can do so until the second of Teves.

Due to the new development and the upcoming election for the representative Minister Steinitz has decided to push off future committee meetings until after the election is held, thus holding up the selection of judges yet again.

The coalition government has selected MK Yoav Ben Tzur as its candidate to run for the position, but they are wary having just lost a similar secret ballot election for a different committee to the opposition’s candidate only three weeks ago.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)