Supreme Court Rejects Petition Over Matnasim CEO Appointment

Supreme Court Rejects Interim Order Request on Matnasim CEO Appointment

Supreme Court Justice Yitzhak Amit rejected the petition filed by Moshe Mor Yosef, Deputy CEO of the Ministry of Interior, seeking an interim order to block the decision of the Dotan Committee, which disqualified his candidacy for CEO of the Matnasim (Community Centers) Corporation. Justice Amit ordered the respondents to submit preliminary responses to the petition and the request for an interim order by October 18.

Mor Yosef petitioned the High Court of Justice after the Tel Aviv Regional Court for Labor rejected his request to overturn the Dotan Committee's ruling. As reported, the labor court ordered Mor Yosef to pay legal costs amounting to 15,000 shekels. The Dotan Committee for vetting senior appointments in government companies, headed by retired judge Shulamit Dothan, disqualified Mor Yosef on July 6 due to a lack of required experience.

Background and Alternative Candidacy

Earlier political pressure had been exerted to advance Mor Yosef's appointment despite a 2020 State Comptroller report noting discrepancies in his resume during a past candidacy for CEO of the Negev and Galilee Development Authority. Mor Yosef argued that the committee's decisions contained severe flaws and that he meets all qualification criteria. He also demanded to block the promotion of Galit Widerman, who was deemed the qualified runner-up by the search committee and previously served as senior deputy to the director of the Government Companies Authority.