[67397] The Constitution Committee approved the bill to split the Attorney General's role for its first reading

The Constitution Committee approved the split of the Attorney General's role for its first reading

The Knesset Constitution Committee approved today (May 19, 2026) for its first reading the bill to split the role of the Attorney General, as reported successively by a series of reporters and media outlets. The move, which gained widespread resonance on social media, comes against the backdrop of promoting legal reforms in Israel's law enforcement and judicial system.

Amit Segal and Michael Shemesh confirmed the news of the bill's approval, a report also supported by Yinon Magal, known for his pro-Netanyahu stance and identified with the side of the political map that supports changes in the judicial system. On the other hand, reporters such as Dafna Liel and Israel News IL emphasized in their coverage the significance of the move as a step toward "weakening the prosecutor and the legal advisor," thereby reflecting the criticism voiced by government opponents regarding the initiative.

Reports on the bill's approval also appeared in Israel News | Without Censorship and The News Voice, which highlighted the technical aspect of the committee's approval for the first reading. Amir Ettinger and Yuval Segev also noted that the committee passed the bill for further legislative procedures in the plenum.

The consensus regarding the fact that the bill was approved crosses political lines; however, the interpretation of the implications—splitting powers versus weakening gatekeepers—remains a focus of intense public controversy, with various actors using opposing terminology to describe the same parliamentary procedure.