Indeed, investigating the alleged improprieties involving the Pegasus spyware could very well expose how Netanyahu’s indictments came into existence, and the former prime minister appears ready to pounce.
Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu said in private conversations this week that he believes the odds of the current government falling during the next winter session are “certainly reasonable.” If immediately after the government’s formation the Likud Secretariat, with broad support, passed legislation stipulating that party defectors are indefinitely barred from returning – now a similar attempt to pass the clause through the Likud Central Committee is encountering problems.
MK Miri Regev is trying to push the initiative with all her might, but Netanyahu, Israel Katz, Haim Katz, and other senior party members are doing all they can to block it, and for good reason. They understand that such laws will only strengthen the government, not the opposite. Recent developments have spurred Likud’s upper echelon to care more about the party’s doors remaining open. The Secretariat’s decision, which targeted Gideon Sa’ar, Ze’ev Elkin, and Yifat Shasha-Biton, is easy to reverse, unlike a decision passed by the Central Committee.
The government has nothing to hide as it pertains to the “Pegasus” affair. The events in question allegedly occurred before its formation. Even if a state commission of inquiry or any other investigative committee were to be established, with broad authorities and sharp teeth, nothing bad will befall any of the members of this government. They weren’t the ones in charge. Even the public security minister can be calm.
However, no one should be surprised if the senior members of this government do all in their power to temper the necessary investigations and avoid the prospect of any clear, unequivocal findings. Indeed, investigating these alleged improprieties involving Pegasus could very well expose how Netanyahu’s indictments came into existence.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid, and all the other ministers can yammer to their hearts’ desire about how good and functioning this government is, when it’s clear that its only real backbone is Netanyahu’s trial. Without it, this government would never have been conceived, even as a mental exercise. The very thought that a thorough investigation of the Pegasus affair could undermine Netanyahu’s trial makes them nauseous. Just this week, even before this scandal erupted, the initial evidence brought forth in Netanyahu’s trial caused the court to adjourn for several days. Who knows where things will lead when or if an investigation is ever launched.
In less than 24 hours, Bennett went from calling this is a grave affair that needs to be investigated, to downplaying it as two failed attempts to hack into cell phones and one successful attempt. Bennett, Sa’ar, Lapid, and the remaining ministers understood, too late, that even before it impacts the Netanyahu trial the entire wiretapping affair is sparking strong momentum for Likud, and they are looking on with concern at the junctions filling with demonstrators and the protest movement sprouting beneath their feet.
On Tuesday, at the Likud Secretariat meeting, it appeared Netanyahu was also aware of the rumbling groundswell, leading to the belief that he will soon lead a giant rally at Habima Square in Tel Aviv – possibly as early as next week.
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/likud-meretz-unite-in-demand-for-special-prosecutor-for-police-nso-scandal/2022/02/10/
@Peloni, I realize you are not approving of the current coalition to be understated. At this point I also would like to have RAAM and Meretz gone from the coalition (actually never was a fan to be understated again).
However, the appointments to the senior people likely involved in the apparently illegal wiretapping happen under the governments of Bibi.
There have been a few State Inquiries of various massive incidents (Yom Kippur War for one). Usually non political types are found are deemed very competent).
I have more faith than you that competent independent people can be found for what I hope will be a thorough investigation of apparently illegal wiretapping of government officials and their families. And who knows who else at this point.
There is a NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL in Israel who nothing to do with what has gone, so SHE might logically be one of the who would select and independent investigator. I actually do believe that many ministers in the current government will a thorough and fair investigation.
@Bear
Your question was who should appoint someone to investigate this debacle, not who should lead the investigation, or that was what I read your comment to mean. An independent investigator would obviously not be run by the Justice minister. Regardless though, Saar should have no role in any of this. He is justice minister and I am not sure what precedents exist in Israeli justice system for independent councils, if they are appointed by the Justice ministry or the AG or some other source, but both this Justice minister and the entire state attorney division are compromised and should not be allowed to appoint the investigator. This was my point. It is a very mucky mess. It really should bring down the govt.
@Peloni it is highly unlikely Saar would run any investigation as that is not the role of the justice minister.
@TED_That’s the law in the US and “used to be” in Canada. Are you referring to Israeli Law. As we have seen, they make up laws to suit their political purposes, -like the Netanyahu fake crimes.
As I recall the law, the courts have held that it is more important to uphold the law that excludes illegally obtained evidence than it is to enforce the law which the illegally obtained evidence proves was violated.
Thus even in the case of a murder trial where the illegally obtained evidence is conclusive, the evidence will be rejected even if it means a murderer goes free.
@Bear
I am not really sure of your point here. It is public knowledge that Biden’s son is on the Chinese payroll and has been for many years, complete with his father’s knowledge and assistence in gaining the position, despite his claimed ignorance. It is not even in contention that poor drug addled Hunter is on the board of a Chinese State owned company where $1.5 billion was placed into the control of this master of finance, (cough, cough). This after he retired from successfully advising (cough, cough), a gas company in Ukraine. Surely, you are not suggesting that Bibi’s son was compromised with similar foreign entanglements, are you?
In any case, the comparison between Biden and Bibi is starkly different. Bibi is not suspected of working with the Chinese, or the Iranians. He is not being investigated for any foreign intrigues. They used the greatest level of intrusive tech possible to spy on his family so they could simply overthrow the govt. These actions were treasonous and deeply damaging to the entire Israeli political structure. This reminds me, isn’t it interesting how Liebermann suddenly dropped Bibi, just after the election. Was his son being monitored as well? What about Saar’s son(if he have a son)? This can of worms is quite a foul kettle of fish and someone above reproach must be chosen to expose it all.
I likely am misunderstanding your question, so sorry in advance.
A very provocative question you raised, but I do not believe that it should be anyone who has benefited from the crime that has taken place, such as Saar or any current minister. Do recall that Saar chose Abbas over Bibi. This seemed to not strike any concerns with some, but I found this single fact to be shocking beyond any words I could muster. He gave him power with the Arab street, a position in the PM’s office, billions of state shekels and land in the Negev. Saar did this. It was his choice and his alone that made the Right fall from power, and place the half wit Oslo enthusiast Lapid in a position of vetoing any decision that the PM might make. He did all of this just to see to it that Bibi was not in power. Hence, Saar, particularly, can not be trusted to choose an ‘independent investigator’ to ferret out the truth behind the Pegasus scandal that bought Saar the ability to pay this huge price to keep Bibi out of power, but then again, none of the current ministers could be trusted to this task either, for similar reasonings.
Could anyone from the police or legal fraternity be trusted? Certainly not since it was they who carried out the espionage and employed it against the state. What about the corrupt judiciary who already think they have the authority to run the govt? No again. It is a good question you pose, but unfortunately, among the expected choices, there are only bad answers to it.
Is there a reason that Bibi should not be privy to the investigation? He could run the investigation, himself. Otherwise, why not make it his choice who to choose to run the investigation?
@ BEAR-
Oh yes, I agree with you, it would be a disgrace and corrupt use of power. But did he or did he not, actually do it. THAT seems to be the puzzle. Because the supposed bribe payment seems so totally inadequate for such a huge benefit ,and the evidence shows that the purported bribe did not happen. At least that’s what I have gathered over the past few years. of these discussions.
So was the PM seeing just how far the Bezeq owners would go, or was he serious.??
One thing, US standars and Israeli standards on “corruption” are totally different….or supposed to be, In Israel it’s always been a way of life…like needing “Vitamin P”…Protexia to get anywhere. Typical middle East shuk stuff. Haggling in the market place. I’ve seen it done, all around me, and done it myself.
@Bear
Given your hypothetical question, the obvious answer would be yes, it would bother me, but it is not bribery. Positive press coverage, should it be interpreted in the legal framework of “something of value” would change the relationship between the press and the politicians they supposedly cover. The use of the bribery statute has never been used in the context of “favorable press” in any western democracy. It is not being used in Israel against any other politician, even as the press places this something of value in the pockets of their chosen candidates without any tax and without any fiscal recognition, not of the gift of the benefit and not of the receipt of the benefit, because it does not meet such legal standards.
I have always found these rapid fire inquiries into the Netanyahu’s to be deeply repugnant and obviously born out of political malice. Additionally, I think the current revelations displays how desperately motivated the entire police force and state legal apparatus have become to be rid of Bibi. And yet, we are still talking about the victim of this crime as a potential villain. It has always been an issue of politics and if the electorate does not find this matter concerning enough to lose their support, it really should not be an issue at all.
Anyone interested in what was going on should listen to Caroline Glick’s Podcast with Dr. Gadi Taub.
It exposes the way the police went about capturing information with the Pegasus software.
https://carolineglick.com/israels-deep-state-is-exposed/
@Edgar I think it is horrible that the Police went on a fishing expedition to try and find information on Bibi and others. This is not legal and is a massive scandal in Israel.
That said fixing regulations for the benefit of a company or a private individual by a Minister of the Knesset to the detriment of Israeli citizens is also not acceptable.
e@ BEAR-
.
The end result was that he got no “bribe”, that publicity was still the same negative stuff. Sara’s photos were still “poor stuff”…After all how much can you change the photo appearance of a 60 year old artificial blonde woman, who isn’t attractive in the first place. SOME BRIBE….!!
You are floating a “hypothetical” as the US guys always say in stories.
@Peloni would it bother if someone covertly and illegally (using NSO software) could prove in fact that Biden was on the Chinese payroll via his son?
Who should appoint the special prosecutor to investigate any such crimes? It would be the attorney general no?
In Israel who do you think should should conduct any investigation of police wrong doings? Who should appointment the special investigator? The Police? The Attorney General? Whom please?
@Peloni would it bother you if were shown that Bibi changed regulations to benefit Elotvich which then allowed him to create a monopoly on behalf of Bezeq in exchange for a bribe? Costing the consumer higher prices with telecommunications products such as internet service. The government was supposed to open it up to competition.
I agree if the information was obtained illegally he should not be convicted. I am curious though if you believe it is wrong for a political elected official to obtain bribes in exchange for fixing regulations that hurt the public?
@BEAR-
If the Government was conducting illegal activity, don’t you think that the news hounds and govt watchers of every move, would be on it in a flash. It would be obvious to them, by it’s illegality. Unless it was a grey area, and even then the watchers would show the govt taking advantage of a grey area.
Would it not have been difficult to show illegality, considering that most-if not all- of the LIKUD controlled govt actions were to the benefit of the country, as Israel’s increasing power and sought after influence grew, during the LIKUD governments only.
@Bear
Given the context of your proposed hypothetical scenario, namely if the surveillance showed Bibi to be the Corruptocrat that they have been using the persecution of Bibi’s associates to manufacture their ‘evidence’, you still could not touch him, at least not if the courts were less corrupt and self-empowering as the legal forces which employed the illegal surveillance in the first place. The fruit of the poison tree would prohibit such surveillance from being useful in any prosecution. They could, of course, pursue the surveillance in the future but only at the ballot box, something beyond the control of the Israeli Deep State and therefore likely beyond their interest.
If Bibi were shown to have been caught red handed thru his phone as having taken a bribe, these activities should not pose any legal threat to him. The tainted, and shameful corruption of any legal basis of this ‘case’ is now beyond anyone’s ability to sanction, though they will clearly continue to try to do exactly that.
Meanwhile the much greater issue of an un-elected leg of the govt employing espionage to carry out a political coup against a clearly elected leg of the govt remains to be pursued with the greatest speed and the greatest level of judicial penalty. It is said that it is only treason if you fail to succeed. Well, they have failed to hide their calumny, but they have only themselves to prevent their efforts from succeeding.
As Bibi sits on the sidelines do to their successes thus far, Bennett and his merry band of allied Leftists and Arab partners have every reason to ally themselves with the Legal fraternity that has carried this ruse thus far and complete this legal tragedy. They will appoint their investigator, who will do them all a favor and hold all the evidence as far too sensitive for public viewing and render his judgement from behind a veil of secrecy(sound familiar). I will not fake any surprise to learn the investigator’s verdict that the Pegasus surveillance of the PM will be found to have played no role in the character assassination and legal persecution of the PM over the past years and that the shadowy case of bribery can proceed without delay.
By the way, whose duty is it to choose the investigator? Saar? Such charades.
Clearly if phones of government officials were tapped without warrant that is a huge problem. However, if those phone taps did reveal illegal activity by the government (including the Prime Minister) that is also a problem.