Did the Israeli Police Use Spy Software to Obtain Information From High Level Officials, Local Politicians and Journalists? The story that broke a few weeks ago in a daily newspaper continues to attract public and media attention. According to the original story, the police used sophisticated surveillance software, Pegasus, by NSO, to not only surveil alleged criminals, organized crime, suspected pedophiles and terrorists, but also used the tool to surveil high level officials, political figures and maybe even journalists.
This is still a developing story. Earlier this week the newspaper, Calcalist, published that the police tracked the general directors of the ministries of justice, treasury and transportation. None of them was suspected of any crimes.
In addition there was suspicion that the police were also tracking the phone of the former general director of the ministry of communications, who is a key witness at Netanyahu’s bribery trial. As a result, Netanyahu’s lawyers immediately demanded that the trial be halted until all the relevant details are revealed. Netanyahu’s supporters are calling for the trial to be cancelled altogether, due to what they define as basic misconduct by the police in handling the investigation in the case. Netanyahu and his supporters have claimed for years that the whole case was tailored against him by law enforcement agencies, like a coup-d’etat, in order to dismiss him from office.
Meanwhile the panel of judges decided to postpone the trial until Sunday. Law enforcement, ministers and civil society organizations are calling for the establishment of a state investigative committee to examine the allegation that the police spied on citizens and high level officials without a judge’s order. Police are denying any wrong doing, and NSO denies any connection to illegal acts.
Israeli Knesset Passed The “Family Reunification Law” in First Reading Despite Strong Opposition from a Central Member of the Coalition, Meretz: The law was first presented as an executive order back in 2003 and was meant to prevent families of Israeli-Palestinians from reunification. If an Israeli citizen marries anybody with foreign nationality, they can apply for their spouse’s civil status in Israel to be amended to permanent residence for family reunification purposes. In order to prevent Palestinians from the OPT (occupied Palestinian territories) from receiving permanent residence status in Israel, the state decided to prevent them from filing an application for a change in status. It was always presented as a security measure to prevent any of the newly weds from using their Israeli permanent residence status to carry out a terrorist attack in Israel. But many claim that this is only an excuse and basically the law is meant to preserve the Jewish majority in Israel and prevent any flood of Muslims or Christians. Meretz, a member party of the coalition strenuously opposed the law, together with another coalition party, The United Arab List. They decided not to participate in the vote and the bill passed with the support of members from the opposition. If the opposition continues that may pose a threat to the existence of the coalition. Ayelet Shaked, minister of interior from Yamina party promoted the law.
Government Announces New Plan to Reduce Cost of Living: PM Bennett and Finance Minister Liberman announced the government’s economic plan for 2022 earlier this week, designed to reduce the cost of living. The plan offers tax credits to working parents with children aged six to twelve, reduced import taxes on food products such as beef and fish, increased “labor incentives” for low-income breadwinners, reduced increases in electricity prices and subsidies for after-school program in low-income localities.
The plan does not include additional measures that could further reduce costs by; lowered import taxes on fresh produce, a reform in the import of cosmetics, a compensation plan for independent contractors affected by the recent Omicron wave.
The approval of the plan was made possible because the Haredi parties are not part of the current government. The plan emphasizes perks and benefits for double income families, and insignificant benefits for Haredi families where one or both parents are unemployed. PM Bennet admitted during the press conference that the criteria for eligibility were carefully chosen to benefit “good Israelis” who work for a living. The plan was criticized by members of the opposition as well as members of the coalition, for failing to raise minimum wages for the working poor and additional measures that could have reduced the cost of living for low-income families and single parent families.
Israel Appoints New Attorney General; the First Woman to Hold This Position: Gali Baharav-Miara, the new attorney general, assumed office earlier this week, replacing outgoing AG Avichai Mandelblit, who completed his six-year term on January 31st. Baharav-Miara is the first woman in the history of the country to serve in this position. She was the minister of justice, Gidon Sa’ar, leading candidate, and her nomination was unanimously approved by the cabinet. Baharav-Miara worked for the state prosecutors office for 30 years, primarily in the civil and administrative law departments. In the past five years she worked for a private law firm. Her critics from the opposition claimed that Baharav-Miara lacks expertise in criminal law, and that her appointment serves the political interests of the minister of justice and the current government.
In her speech at the welcome ceremony, Baharav-Miara addressed the need to restore public trust in the law enforcement systems and declared that she would make this her priority. Referring to recent events concerning the use of Pegasus spyware by the police, Baharav-Miara said that she is concerned by the decline in public trust in the legal system, the police, and the attorney generals’ office. Referring to attacks on the legal system, she said that while those affected public trust, the system must reflect on its own work, and take bold actions to improve it.
The Government May Approve a New Settlement in the West Bank, Contrary to the Basic Agreement Among the Coalition Parties: The State General Attorney legalized a plan to build a new settlement Evyatar, despite the fact that the new coalition was established under the premise that no new settlement will be approved during the term of the coalition. The decision is deeply controversial among the party members, especially criticized by left wing party Merez and the United Arab List.
For Further reading:
Reunification law: here, here, here