WhatsappWitchhunt Not Reported by the English Media
The journalist Eli Zippori wrote a particularly harsh criticism article against the law enforcement system over the weekend, against the background of the indictments filed by the Attorney General against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In an interview with Arutz 7 (in Hebrew), Zippori says that for those who take a deep look at the prosecution’s conduct, it seems to be a case that has been decided in advance.
“Netanyahu did not have much chance and I want to emphasize what is unclear in the media debate: Case 4000 is not only precedent but also circumstantial.
He said, “The concept of ‘give and take’ was repeated a lot in the indictment but without evidence. There are only words of alleged bribery, and beyond them nothing but words from state witnesses, who were literally terrorized to give over the requested testimony. Allovich and Eitan Tsafrir of the Ministry of Communications expressed this explicitly when they said that the police and the prosecutor’s office did everything to get Netanyahu’s head at all costs, while conducting human trials under the auspices of the law. “
Zippori points to the Attorney General’s speech announcing the indictment as a misunderstood incident.
“Everyone is talking about Netanyahu’s harsh speech, but no one is talking about Mendelblit’s embarrassing speech. He hardly looked at the journalists, he just read off his speech, his voice was quite tentative and most severe: he did not take any responsibility for any of the offenses committed during the investigation by Shai Nitzan and Liat Ben Ari, the heads of the prosecutors office that is responsible for the illegal methods used, not as they defined them as “malfunctions” or “good faith errors”.
“It should be kept in mind that what was done to (state witness) Nir Hafetz is a criminal offense and should be investigated. When Mandelblit and the entire law enforcement system are recruited to whitewash these crimes – it is serious and reflects the public’s great distrust of the law enforcement system,” Zippori explains.
In Zippori’s opinion, the Attorney General was led and not led. “I think that for three years Liat Ben Ari and Shi Nitzan have led the very militant line in Netanyahu’s case. I always hear people wonder: ‘What, twenty lawyers have decided to conspire against Netanyahu?’ But it doesn’t work that way. Shai Nitzan and Liat Ben Ari have stated that Netanyahu has been corrupt more than a year ago and operated a full-court press of pressure on AG Mandelblit, who unfortunately gave in to the pressure. Although, as Attorney General, he naturally wants to protect his employees, but he is doing so while covering up the justice system’s transgressions. This does not increase the confidence people have in the justice system but merely sharpens the public’s distrust.
Zippori explains that this is a real fault line that requires action. “Whatever decision is ultimately made in Netanyahu’s case, the justice system requires effective and toothless oversight moving forward. It cannot be that a system exists with so much power operates in democracy without any oversight. Part of this system of getting away with framing people is due to both the absurd and unrestrained power, as well as politicization, of the prosecutor’s office.”
“Netanyahu is right, there is a very clear political coup here,” Zippori sharpened. “I read the indictment and followed case 4,000 for a very long time and it has a series of statements that are detached from logic and reality, not to mention falsehoods, regarding regulation and finance.”
“The one taking the state hostage right now is not PM Netanyahu, but a bunch of smug and self-righteous lawyers whose goal is to put words in the mouths of the interrogators and witnesses.”
Tzippory estimates that the Prosecutor’s Office is already planning the next step. “A few hours after the indictment, there was a leak from the State Attorney’s office that Netanyahu would not be able to continue as acting PM. What is that if not a coup? The prosecutor’s office decides who will be the prime minister at a time when no one has been convicted and not on the basis of a basic law but in an attempt to manipulate the law? All they do is hint at their intention to create facts on the ground. They want to move Netanyahu at all costs.
“They are now creating a discourse around a plea deal and trying to push Netanyahu in that direction. That was before the indictment was filed. They hinted that he could retire and then erase everything. When a trial is underway, I’m sure the jackpot of massive politician-media relationships will be exposed and turn into the best show in town. All the politician-media relationships, much worse than those outlined in the indictment against Netanyahu, will be revealed to the public. Perhaps it is true that this will be the core of the case because that is how the framing of the case will be understood. I am sure we will see state witnesses stuttering and contradicting themselves.”
“That’s why the prosecution wants a plea bargain. It’s their method, to load ridiculous and disproportionate charges on the court and then determine the fate of people. Senior lawyers say the offenses there are very problematic to prove. That’s not a law enforcement body,” Zippori concludes.
It’s A False Indictment – Part of the Legal Political Coup!
Israel Hayom journalist Caroline Glick tweeted a critical clarification highlighting that Netanyahu actually was not indicted, because according to Israeli law the Attorney General is actually not allowed to indict the PM at this moment.
Contrary to all reporting in Israel, AG Mandelblit hasn’t indicted PM Netanyahu. He can’t. By law, all indictments of members of Knesset need to be filed with the MK, with the Knesset and with the Knesset committee which decides whether to grant immunity
Since we’re in a transition gov’t, there is no Knesset Committee to accept Mandelblit’s indictment or debate immunity. So he has no way to legally indict Netanyahu. Which of course raises the question: What is he doing?
In the absence of legal means to indict Netanyahu in light of political stalemate in Israel, Mandelblit’s announcement last Thursday was a purely political move. It’s clear intention was to overthrow Netanyahu — a political end. And this was only his opening volley.
Now Mandelblit has appointed a “professional” committee led by State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan – the author of the railroading of Netanyahu to decide whether Mandelblit should fire Netanyahu or not — as if he has the legal power to do so.
In other words, Mandelblit has abandoned even the pretense of acting in accordance with the law and is now in a freefloating political campaign to use his title as chief law enforcement officer to illegal overthrow Netanyahu. No indictment, no authority, no law.
