Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 4/18 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 15.-28. Februar Die Themen dieser Ausgabe 1. Neue Vorwürfe gegen Netanyahu ..................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Iranische Bedrohung ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 3. Polnisches Holocaust-Gesetz tritt in Kraft ......................................................................................................................... 6 4. Medienquerschnitt ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 1. Neue Vorwürfe gegen Netanyahu The graft that Netanyahu unwittingly admits to Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanyahu steht unter (...) “I worked to close Channel 10, of which he dem Verdacht, in einen weiteren Korruptionsfall [friend and benefactor Arnon Milchan] was an own- verwickelt zu sein. Er soll versucht haben, das er. If it weren’t for the attorney general’s instructions, Nachrichtenportal Walla im Gegenzug zu rechtlichen the channel would have closed,” Netanyahu said to und vor allem finanziellen Begünstigungen für eine defend himself against bribery allegations. (...) The positivere Berichterstattung über ihn selbst und prime minister’s claim is both a gross lie and foolish. seine Familie zu gewinnen. Netanyahu war zur Milchan may have formally been a shareholder in fraglichen Zeit Kommunikationsminister. Hinter dem Channel 10 during those years, but he had stopped Nachrichtenportal steht Israels größtes Telekommu- investing money in the channel and himself was nikationsunternehmen Bezeq. Der finanzielle Vorteil, working to close it down, so Netanyahu wasn’t work- den Bezeq erhielt, belaufe sich auf bis zu einer ing against him in this matter. On the contrary, their Milliarde Schekel. Die Polizei verhaftete in dem interests converged. (...) Netanyahu is admitting that Zusammenhang den Medienunternehmer und he tried to close a media outlet (...), because the Freund Netanyahus Shaul Elovitch, dessen Sohn Or channel broadcast damaging investigative reports und die Ehefrau Iris. Elovitch hält die Mehrheitsan- about him. (...) If a person who tried to close a me- teile an Bezeq. Desweiteren nahm die Polizei Nir dia outlet out of personal interest isn’t corrupt, then Hefetz, Netanyahus PR-Berater, fest. Hefetz wird what’s corruption? vorgeworfen, versucht zu haben, eine Richterin zu Raviv Drucker, HAA, 18.02.18 bestechen. Netanyahu droht bereits in zwei weiteren Korruptionsfällen die Anklage. Polizeiliche Ermittler This time, it’s not just cigars or champagne gaben nach Abschluss der Untersuchungen eine (...) it seems impossible that Netanyahu (...) isn’t entsprechende Empfehlung an den Generalstaats- deeply involved in this affair. (...) The allegations anwalt ab. Es seien ausreichend Beweise für Be- aren’t surprising. They all have to do with the apple stechlichkeit, Betrug und Untreue in zwei Fällen of Netanyahu's eye—the media—and his need to gesammelt worden. Netanyahu wies die Vorwürfe control it, and with the apple of Sara Netanyahu's als "absurd" zurück. eye—the obsessive pursuit of positive coverage, including flattering photos, a report on every single event she attends and, most importantly, ensuring that her work as a psychologist in the public service 1 is mentioned every time. (...) There are articles and perhaps the most scandalous political imbroglio in photos on the Walla! News website and, most Israel's history. (...) The current effort orchestrated importantly, testimonies of the website’s editors by the police and media is the culmination of dec- about relentless pressure for positive coverage of ades of delegitimization directed against a prime the prime minister’s family. And the return is clear: A minister who has proven outstanding diplomatic gift worth millions. The police will have no trouble leadership and is largely responsible for transform- finding the golden piece of evidence here, the ing Israel into a financial and military superpower. return. There is someone who gave a bribe and Ever since he was elected to lead the Likud, the someone who took a bribe. It’s all documented. (...) mainstream media (...) has ceaselessly sought to it’s likely going to be the simplest case. (...) no one besmirch him. No other democratic leader has been will claim that Netanyahu didn’t know or didn’t so vilified. (...) The ultimate outrage was a TV inter- understand what was going on around him, and that view with Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh in the so many people around him are being led to the week prior to the release of the police recommenda- interrogation room, while he is squeaky clean. It’s tion. Alsheikh unleashed a tirade against the prime time to wake up. The multiple cases, the growing minister, predicting that he would soon be charged number of interrogatees and the multiple circles with two major acts of corruption. (...) Yet, when closing in on the prime minister can no longer be challenged, he was unable to produce any evidence ignored by senior members of his party and by his substantiating these allegations. In any normal de- coalition partners. (...) Someone has to understand mocracy, a police commissioner breaching his du- that this disgrace can no longer be taken. ties on any of these issues would be dismissed. In Sima Kadmon, YED, 19.02.18 our dysfunctional system, Alsheikh carries on as usual. (...) In the absence of evidence of a crime, The assault on the rule of law distaste for Netanyahu's hedonism is insufficient (...) the public chorus (...) provides politically biased grounds for a breach-of-trust charge, let alone the information (...), and its message, the delegitimation more serious charges. The prime minister's future of the competent authorities, is an educational ca- should depend only on the judgment of the voters. tastrophe. If the attorney general decides to accept Most Israelis, whether they like or despise Netanya- the police recommendations and indict the prime hu, recognize that replacing him now could have minister, the chorus on the Right will rhyme his catastrophic consequences. At this critical period, name with the “New Israel Fund,” the “Meretz Su- with crucial threats looming, no one is capable of preme Court” and all its other ostensible enemies of stepping into Prime Minister Netanyahu's shoes. Israel. If he decides to drop the case, the chorus on Isi Leibler, IHY, 20.02.18 the Left will accuse him of cowardice and betrayal of his sworn duties, in order to please the man who We need a clear answer from Mandelblit appointed him to his high position. (...) A reasonable The question whether Attorney General Avichai person should reject the conspiracy theories of both Mandelblit was asked by Prime Minister Benjamin sides. (...) Netanyahu’s efforts to escape the clutch- Netanyahu, Nir Hefetz or anyone on behalf of the es of the law have led him to blow an evil wind on prime minister about the criminal investigation embers that threaten to flame up and consume the against Sara Netanyahu before being appointed public’s confidence in the rule of law. When Netan- attorney general is a fundamental and critical ques- yahu accuses the law enforcement agencies of tion in the current state of affairs. We must not let it fabricating a case against him he is putting his own get away without a clear and simple answer—yes or interests ahead of what is good for the country. no? (...) In light of the vagueness surrounding the Inciting the public against the legitimacy of the law issue, the attorney general should summon himself enforcement agencies is a much more serious mat- to the police’s Lahav 433 Unit immediately and ask ter than all the allegations in the police recommen- to provide his own account on the matter so as not dations put together. (...) to leave even the slightest bit of doubt. (...) If Man- Yedidia Stern, JPO, 20.02.18 delblit—this time as the attorney general who han- dles cases related to the prime minister and his Dysfunctional politics, disgraceful behavior close associates—received such an appeal and hid The criminal charges recommended by the Israel it from the public and from the police before being Police against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed, he knows he must disqualify himself and the politicians' and media's reactions amount to immediately from handling the investigations against 2 the prime minister and resign immediately for failing minister. (...) In a spectacular boomerang effect, the to report the appeal and then handling the Sara bulldozer turned up a judge who failed to report what Netanyahu cases. In such an event, I believe Man- she viewed as an offer of a bribe (...) detention con- delblit should also lose his license to practice law. ditions that would make the KGB proud; the demor- (...) The suspicions of serious governmental corrup- alization of a senior police officer who alleged that a tion, which are growing deeper every day, require an chief investigator sexually harassed her; a judge and attorney general capable of handling the different an investigator who illicitly coordinated detentions, affairs without any suspicion or prejudice. Other- obviating the role of the defense, reducing suspects wise, the public will completely lose its faith in Isra- to sub-human status, and more. It appears that el’s legal system.