Baharev Miara the legal advisor for the government has frozen transfer of coalition funds

In a significant and unexpected turn of events, Gali Baharev Miara, the legal advisor for the Israeli government and the chief prosecutor, has taken the unprecedented step of freezing all coalition funds yet to be transferred. This decision, announced on Tuesday evening, mandates that all these funds be redirected toward the country's war efforts.

Attorney Meir Levin, Deputy Ombudsman, penned a letter to 12 of Israel's largest law firms, urging them to exercise their authority in freezing coalition funds during the ongoing war and reallocating them for the state's emergency needs. The law firms include Mitar, Herzog Fuchs Naaman, Arnon Tadmor-Levi, and others.

Levin, in his letter, invoked guidance from the government's legal advisor, emphasizing that implementing political agreements of budgetary significance involves meticulous legal and professional examination. Therefore, the administrative procedures necessary for these agreements, including their legal assessment, have effectively ground to a halt.

The legal firms had previously called upon Beharev Miara on October 15 to urgently suspend the continued distribution of coalition funds, pressing for their redirection to address the exigencies imposed by the ongoing war.

Their joint letter argued that the war situation has drastically altered Israel's priorities, necessitating a careful review of the order of resource allocation. They demanded that government ministries and professional bodies, acting on behalf of the government's legal counsel, immediately halt the transfer of coalition funds and reverse any transfers that have been executed or instructed.

Additionally, they called upon the government's legal counsel to clarify to all government ministries that the continued distribution of coalition funds, especially any accelerated attempts, violates administrative law and is at odds with the ombudsman's directive and government decisions. They alleged that such actions are influenced by extraneous considerations in light of the sudden and abnormal circumstances imposed by the war.

MK Yair Lapid, chairman of the opposition (Yesh Atid), welcomed the legal advisor's order, stating that it should have been issued by the government a month earlier. The Movement for the Quality of Government commended the ombudsman's decision to freeze coalition funds and underscored its role in petitioning the High Court and contributing to the drafting of relevant legislation on the matter.

Furthermore, it was emphasized that the legal advisor's decision carries significant weight, as it helps curb efforts to distribute coalition funds, offering a sense of stability amid the challenging times. This decision highlights the need for an independent and resolute public service.

In response to the legal advisor's move, MK Vladimir Belyak, a member of the opposition (Yesh Atid) in the finance committee, commended the clarification that allocating coalition funds for purposes unrelated to the ongoing conflict will require a special exception and justification from the government.

Elazar Stern, another Knesset member, expressed sadness that such a logical decision required the intervention of the ombudsman. He emphasized the importance of channeling every shekel in the state's coffers to serve the needs of both the frontlines and the nation as a whole.