High Court postpones gas exports hearing

Supreme Court President Judge Asher Grunis wants to expand the panel from three judges because of the importance of the subject.

After a protected public struggle against the controversial government decision on gas exports, the High Court of Justice convened today to hear the petitions on handing the decision on gas exports to the Knesset and disallowing the government's decision on export quotas.

Supreme Court President Judge Asher Grunis was due to hear the petitions along with Judge Elyakim Rubinstein and Judge Noam Sohlberg. At the start of the hearing, Judge Grunis proposed that an expanded panel should hear the case "because of its importance." The state's attorney rejected the proposal, and Grunis halted the hearing for consultations. The court then announced that the hearing was over and would be resumed at a later date. On Monday, the state must respond in writing to the judge's proposal for a conditional motion to expand the panel hearing the case.

Labor Party chairwoman MK Shelly Yachimovich said in response that Judge Grunis's statement was very important, and even dramatic. "The High Court of Justice recognized the supreme importance of the case, announced that it would expand the panel hearing it, and basically announced that it was acting as if it had issued an injunction against the way the government makes decisions. It's a pity that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Finance Yair Lapid did not understand that such a fateful decision for Israel's future cannot be taken in haste and behind closed doors, but by a thorough and systematic process in cooperation with the public."

In late June, the government decided to permit the export of 40% of Israel's gas reserves, and to keep 60% for domestic use. This would mean that most of Israel's natural gas would be exported from the Leviathan field, and gas from the Tamar field would go to the domestic market. The decision also aimed to speed up Leviathan's development.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 1, 2013

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2013

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