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NEWS
Procacia Appointment to High Court Provocation Against
Religious Sector
by Betzalel Kahn
Two new justices will be appointed to the High Court: Tel
Aviv Regional Court Justice Edmond Levi and Jerusalem
Regional Court Justice Ayala Procacia. The appointments were
made last week by Justice Minister Meir Shetreet and Chief
Justice of the High Court, Aharon Barak.
For the past year, the two justices presided as acting
judges in the High Court. Since their fellow High Court
judges have been satisfied with their performance, the
appointments will now become permanent.
Justice Procacia is notorious for her anti-religious
rulings, including her approval of businesses operating on
Shabbos in Jerusalem, despite the opposition of the
Municipality.
In reaction to the appointment, Deputy Education Minister
Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz said, "Justice Procacia is the one who
made up the `halocho' that the need to observe
Shabbos constitutes an insufficient reason for local
authorities to close businesses. She maintains that they may
be closed if they create environmental disturbances, but not
because they violate Shabbos. I see her appointment as a
provocation against Israel's mitzvah-observant sector. If
anyone wonders how High Court judges are chosen, let me tell
them: judges whose ideology is totally anti-religious are
chosen as long as the decision is dependent upon the Chief
Justice of the High Court. Barak, so `concerned' about the
attitude of the chareidi sector to the High Court, should
not find fault with us, but rather with his own
appointments. Barak opposed the election of Justice Edmond
Levi, preferring that only one judge be chosen: not Levi, of
course, who is mitzvah- observant."
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