Edna Arbel

Edna Arbel
עדנה ארבל
Supreme Court of Israel Justice
In office
2004–2014
Personal details
Born(1944-06-22)22 June 1944
Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine
Died1 July 2026(2026-07-01) (aged 82)
EducationHebrew University of Jerusalem

Edna Arbel (Hebrew: עדנה ארבל; 22 June 1944 – 1 July 2026) was an Israeli lawyer who was a justice on the Supreme Court of Israel from May 2004 to June 2014. She was a native of Jerusalem.

In 1984, Arbel was appointed District Attorney of the Central District. She had previously served as a senior assistant to the District Attorney of the Central District. She served as a member of the Kahan Commission that investigated the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Arbel ruled in that case that a willingness to settle a case creates a waiver of rights, including a consent to abduction.

Arbel was involved in the Ben-Haim case, a custody battle that eventually involved Interpol. A New Jersey judge, Bonnie Mizdol, described Israeli judge Arbel's judgment as ludicrous and "defying common sense." According to all known legal principles, a willingness to settle a case does not amount to a waiver of rights, let alone a consent to abduction.[citation needed] She ruled that henceforth no order of any kind issued by the Rabbinical courts of Israel must be enforced.

In 1988, Arbel was appointed a judge in the Tel Aviv District Court.

In January 1996, she succeeded Dorit Beinisch as State Attorney. She served in this capacity for eight years, until being appointed to the Supreme Court. During her term, the prosecutor's staff grew from about 700 to 1,040 attorneys. In 2002, she drafted prosecution guidelines that exempt women from prosecution for false report when submitting false domestic violence or sexual harassment complaint to the police.

In 2004, Arbel was nominated for the Supreme Court by then Chief Justice Aharon Barak.

Death

Arbel died on 1 July 2026, at the age of 82.

References

  1. ↑ "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Events at the Refugee Camps in Beirut (Kahan Commission)". Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  2. ↑ Rummell, Nick (8 March 2017). "Dad Accuses Israeli Charities of Aiding Abduction".
  3. ↑ "New Jersey Abductor Mother Indicted". Israel National News. 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Eliahou, Galia. "Edna Arbel". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  5. ↑ מידע אישי על השופטים - קורות חיים של עדנה ארבל (in Hebrew). Elyon1.court.gov.il. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  6. ↑ Yoaz, Yuval (2 April 2008). "Arbel era ends at Prosecutor's Office". Haaretz.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  7. ↑ "Israeli Supreme Court decisions search - Israeli Lawyers | Israeli Law Firm Golan & Co". Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014. supreme court desocions database
  8. ↑ "Edna Arbel". Haaretz.com. 2 April 2008. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  9. ↑ Edna Arbel, former state attorney and Supreme Court justice, dies at 82 Ynet News