Hanan Melcer
Encyclopedia
Hanan Melcer is a current judge in the Supreme Court of Israel
.
Melcer was born in Tel Aviv
to Holocaust survivors of Polish origin. He studied in Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium, and earned his Master's degree in Statutory law from the Tel Aviv University
in the Academic reserve frame, where he also later taught as a Law Professor. In the IDF he served as a Military Advocate
, reaching the rank of Lt. Colonel.
In the 1970's, he was active in Dash
and was a fierce opponent of the coalition with Begin
and his right-wing Likud
party in 1977. Later, he was involved with the Shinui
party. In 1996 he also ran in the primaries for the Labor Party, where he later served as the influential chairman of its legal committee until he resigned in 2004, after his name came up as a candidate for the Supreme Court
.
On June 24, 2007 he was selected by the Judicial Committee to serve as a judge on the Supreme Court
. His appointment was historical because it was the first time in decades that a lawyer from the private sector was chosen, and it was part of the judicial shakeup initiated by Justice Minister
Daniel Friedmann
.
On August 27, 2007, he was sworn in as a justice of the Supreme Court
by the President
Shimon Peres
.
Melcer was part of the unprecedented decision by the Supreme Court in 2009, to order the government to demolish illegally built Palestinian homes in the West Bank. He was also one of the judges in the controversial ruling on the Immanuel Beit Yaakov controversy
.
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
.
Melcer was born in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
to Holocaust survivors of Polish origin. He studied in Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium, and earned his Master's degree in Statutory law from the Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
in the Academic reserve frame, where he also later taught as a Law Professor. In the IDF he served as a Military Advocate
Military Advocate General
The Military Advocate General assists the Israel Defense Forces in imposing rules of conduct through legal advice, legal instruction, maintaining the mechanisms for military prosecution and legal defense, and fulfilling special legal tasks...
, reaching the rank of Lt. Colonel.
In the 1970's, he was active in Dash
Democratic Movement for Change
The Democratic Movement for Change , commonly known by its Hebrew acronym Dash was a short-lived and initially highly-successful centrist political party in Israel...
and was a fierce opponent of the coalition with Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
and his right-wing Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
party in 1977. Later, he was involved with the Shinui
Shinui
Shinui is a Zionist, secular and anti-clerical free market liberal party and political movement in Israel. The party twice became the third largest in the Knesset, but both occasions were followed by a split and collapse; in 1977 the party won 15 seats as part of the Democratic Movement for...
party. In 1996 he also ran in the primaries for the Labor Party, where he later served as the influential chairman of its legal committee until he resigned in 2004, after his name came up as a candidate for the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
.
On June 24, 2007 he was selected by the Judicial Committee to serve as a judge on the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
. His appointment was historical because it was the first time in decades that a lawyer from the private sector was chosen, and it was part of the judicial shakeup initiated by Justice Minister
Justice Minister of Israel
The Justice Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Justice and a position in the Israeli cabinet. The current minister is Ya'akov Ne'eman, an independent who is not a member of the Knesset....
Daniel Friedmann
Daniel Friedmann
Daniel Friedmann was the Minister of Justice of Israel from 2007 to 2009. A professor of law, he was appointed by PM Ehud Olmert. He was sworn in on February 7, 2007, succeeding Tzipi Livni. In 2009 he was succeeded by Ya'akov Ne'eman.-Early life:...
.
On August 27, 2007, he was sworn in as a justice of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
by the President
President of Israel
The President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
.
Melcer was part of the unprecedented decision by the Supreme Court in 2009, to order the government to demolish illegally built Palestinian homes in the West Bank. He was also one of the judges in the controversial ruling on the Immanuel Beit Yaakov controversy
Immanuel Beit Yaakov controversy
The "Immanuel Beit Yaakov controversy" concerns the founding of a Chassidic girls' school in the town of Immanuel in September 2007. A Shas-Mayan Sephardic girls' school, "Ohel Rachel VeLeah", was also founded in Immanuel in September 2007...
.