Both of Israel’s central television stations broadcast this evening (Wednesday) that the police recommendations in the Bar-On affair include an explicit recommendation to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of fraud and breach of the public trust.
Channel One, which uncovered the affair, maintained this evening the leak of intentions to indict Minister of Justice Tzachi Hanegbi, Netanyahu’s chief of staff Avigdor Lieberman and MK Arye Deri, was designed to camouflage the real bombshell, a recommended indictment against Netanyahu.
According to Israel Radio this evening, Minister of Police Avigdor Kahalani confirmed that the police recommendations include indictment of Netanyahu.
Netanyahu's attorney, Adv. Yaakov Weinrot also confirmed the reports this evening.
State Attorney Edna Arbel implied today that her office’s recommendations in the affair will be publicized as early as Sunday.
Arbel has asked that the police fully publicize the recommendations of the investigative team.
Netanyahu’s press spokesman Shai Bazak responded to the reports for Channel One, saying, "It’s all nonsense. Members of the investigative team are trying to pressure the State Attorney’s Office through press leaks. Netanyahu will come out of this cleared of any wrongdoing."
In contrast to Bazak, cabinet ministers told Channel Two that if the report proves true, the future of the government is in doubt, even if Netanyahu is not eventually indicted.
Close associates of Netanyahu said tonight the prime minister has no intentions to resign, despite the investigative team's recommendation.
Information released for publication prior to this report:
Rubinstein, Arbel Conclude Criminal Intent by Hanegbi, Deri and Lieberman Hard to Prove
By Yoav Yitzhak
Attorney-General Elyakim Rubinstein and State Attorney Edna Arbel are not inclined to bring any indictments in the Bar-On affair, even against the principal suspects. These were Justice Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Avigdor Lieberman and the head of the Shas faction, MK Aryeh Deri. The final decision will be taken tomorrow (Thursday).
The investigation findings reportedly reflect quite clearly what "Globes" has frequently stated, namely that the Prime Minister does not appear to be implicated in any criminal offence in Bar-On’s appointment to the office of Attorney-General.
It is reported that, following frenetic consultations between themselves, and also with senior members of the State Attorney's Office and the Attorney-General’s office, Rubinstein and Arbel reached the conclusion that even if any one of the three is indicted, the prosecution will be hard put to prove any "criminal intent" in their acts.
Suspicion against Tzachi Hanegbi focuses on his having ostensibly given out misleading information at the cabinet meeting of January 10, 1997. The prevailing opinion is that the prosecution will find difficulty in proving in court that Hanegbi acted with the intent of misleading cabinet members, and will thus be at a loss to refute his allegation, whereby at the most, he may have been guilty of inaccurate or deficient reporting, due to pure carelessness, inexperience or even of reporting in accordance with the norms applied to the appointment of previous Attorneys-General.
Suspicion against MK Aryeh Deri focuses on remarks made by him, on Israel Television’s Channel Two, to the effect that he had contacted Avigdor Lieberman with a request/demand that he notify Benjamin Netanyahu of his entrenched opposition to the appointment of Adv. Dan Avi-Yitzhak to the post of Attorney-General. Prevailing opinion is that it will be difficult for the prosecution to rebut Deri’s pleadings whereby he conveyed such a demand to Netanyahu purely and exclusively with the intention of defending himself against having the rug pulled out from under his feet should his attorney, Adv. Avi Yitzhak, be appointed Attorney-General. (Deri paid Avi-Yitzhak a fee of at least $1.8 million). Also difficult to rebut would be his allegation that he did not torpedo Avi-Yitzhak’s appointment in order to make room for Adv. Roni-Bar-On. Rather, as stated, his purpose was to protect his legal interests in his criminal trial.
Suspicion against Avigdor Lieberman is mainly that he passed on ostensibly threatening messages from Deri to Netanyahu. Prevailing opinion is that the prosecution will be hard pressed to refute Lieberman’s version whereby, in view of his position as Director-General Prime Minister's Office, he saw it as his duty to pass on information, message or demands from Deri to Netanyahu.
As stated, the final decision will be taken tomorrow and published officially a few days later.