High Court demands Levin clarify PID appointments before election

Israel's High Court of Justice ordered Justice Minister Yariv Levin on Tuesday to clarify whether he will advance senior appointments to the Police Investigation Department (PID) before the October 27 election, with a response due by Sunday. The court asked Levin and the Attorney-General's Office to state if they plan to appoint the department's director, the selection committee, and a retired judge for police investigations, citing precedent requiring restraint in senior appointments during election periods. The order came from three petitions challenging the PID's restructuring. The law, passed in June, separates PID from the State Attorney's Office to address alleged conflicts of interest, but opponents argue it creates political dependence. The attorney-general has requested a freeze on appointments, while the Movement for Quality Government welcomed the court's order, urging no irreversible steps before the election.