The Knesset named its representatives to the dayan and judge
selection committees as well as the committees for the
selection of Muslim and Arab kadis. Five MKs vied for two
spots on the Dayanim Selection Committee. Of the 113 MKs who
took part in the vote on Monday five ballots were
disqualified. Each MK voted for two representatives. The
appointees were Yitzchak Vaknin (Shas) with 52 votes and
Nisan Slomiansky (HaIchud HaLeumi-NRP) with 42 votes. MK
Rabbi Moshe Gafni came in third with 39 votes, MK Zahava
Galon (Meretz) received 34 votes and MK David Tal (Kadima)
received 30 votes.
The Judges Appointment Committee is comprised of nine
members: two government representatives, Justice Minister
Chaim Ramon and Interior Minister Roni Bar-On; three High
Court representatives; two Israeli Bar Association
representatives and two Knesset representatives. The Justice
Minister serves as committee chairman. The two MKs chosen
were Orit Noked (Labor) with 91 votes and Gilad Arden (Likud)
with 63 votes, based on an agreement between the coalition
and the opposition. MK Ron Cohen (Meretz) received 48 votes
and was not chosen.
MK David Azoulai (Shas) was named to the Kadis Selection
Committee with 91 votes along with Raleb Majadele (Labor),
with 90 votes and Wasil Taha (National Democratic Assembly)
with 57 votes. MK Ibrahim Sarsur (Ra'am-Ta'al) received just
45 votes and was not chosen.
Before the vote for the Kadis Selection Committee, PM Ehud
Olmert asked Knesset Chairman Dalia Itzik for a postponement
due to the differences of opinion between the Likud and
Labor, but Itzik denied the request and Kadima was unable to
secure a spot on the committee.
In the days preceding the votes MKs scrambled behind the
scenes, particularly surrounding the Dayanim Selection
Committee, as the various candidates tried to forge deals and
persuade as many MKs as possible to support them.
