National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir cannot prevent representatives of the Israel Police and the Israel Prison Service from appearing before Knesset committees, Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled Wednesday, reinforcing the legislature’s oversight authority over the executive branch.
The ruling came in response to a petition filed by MK Meirav Cohen (Yesh Atid). The court also determined that a minister’s personal attendance does not replace the need for professional officials to answer lawmakers’ questions.
Cohen welcomed the decision, calling it a win for parliamentary accountability.
“We won! There are judges in Jerusalem! Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir will be forced, against his will, to send representatives from the police and the Israel Prison Service to report to the Committee on the Status of Women regarding violence against women,” she said.
She added: “The High Court protected the dignity of the Knesset and the balance between it and the government, in a situation where the Knesset speaker failed and did not assist me, due to narrow political considerations.”
“I hope this important ruling will help all Knesset committees in dealing with ministers who think they are above the law,” she said.
Court orders government to pay legal costs
In its decision, the court emphasized that civil servants are obligated to appear before Knesset committees, stating that the duty is “clear and, on its face, does not grant discretion to the minister or the civil servant.”
In a relatively rare move, the justices also ordered the government to pay 3,000 shekels in legal costs, noting that the petition helped restore proper governance practices.
The dispute began in December 2025, when Ben-Gvir directed his ministry to block participation in meetings of the Committee on the Status of Women and a separate Knesset committee dealing with immigration and absorption. He cited what he described as “inappropriate conduct” by opposition lawmakers chairing the panels.
After her appeals to the Knesset speaker and other officials went unanswered, Cohen filed a petition with the High Court in January 2026.
