Retired Supreme Court Justice and former State Attorney Edna Arbel passed away today (Wednesday) at the age of 82.
Arbel was born in Jerusalem in 1944 and began her law studies while serving in the military. She was admitted to the bar in 1969.
In 1984, she was appointed to the Central District Attorney's Office and was a member of the committee on behalf of the Attorney General for the Line 300 affair.
In 1988, she was appointed a judge in the Tel Aviv District Court and in 1996, she was appointed to the State Attorney's Office and Acting Attorney General. She chaired the 2000 Prosecution Committee and a committee that formulated a code of ethics for attorneys, and participated in discussions in Rome, The Hague and Strasbourg on the subject of the International Criminal Court.
In 2004, the Judicial Selection Committee elected Arbel as a Supreme Court judge, a position she held for a decade.
Upon reaching the age of 70, in June 2014, she retired.
The judicial authority's announcement of Arbel's passing stated: "The President of the Supreme Court, Justice Yitzhak Amit and his judges, the Director of the Courts, Justice Tzachi Uziel, the presidents, judges and employees of the court system share in the heavy mourning of her three daughters and the Arbel family.".
President Yitzhak Herzog paid tribute: "Michal and I received with great sadness the news of the passing of retired Supreme Court Justice and former State Attorney, Edna Arbel. Throughout decades of public service, Edna filled a number of central roles in the Israeli legal system, out of a deep sense of mission, responsibility and commitment to the State of Israel and the rule of law.
""During her career, Judge Arbel left a significant mark on the legal system. She believed that behind every case and every decision, there was first and foremost a person, and she acted out of a deep commitment to justice, human dignity, and the values of public service. We send a strong hug to her daughters, her family, her friends, and all her loved ones. May her memory be blessed.".
