Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara was summoned to a joint hearing in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and the Constitution Committee regarding conflicts of interest in the probe against ousted Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi in the leak of the Sde Teiman video, but she refused to attend, citing “obstruction of proceedings” in an official letter she sent to the committee.

Constitution Committee chairman Simcha Rothman slammed the attorney general, saying that she is legally required to attend the hearing, citing a law obligating public officials to appear before Knesset committees and provide relevant information when requested.

The hearing was also boycotted by the opposition. Rothman stated at the beginning of the hearing, “The deep state and its representatives in the Knesset have decided not to show up, and the opposition members are absent as well. Apparently, they think the discussion is unimportant and that the citizens of Israel don’t deserve answers.”

“The very letter we received from the Attorney General’s Office is itself proof of the conflicts of interest and obstruction of the investigation happening at this very moment. The Attorney General’s representative writes when she first learned of the affair, yet the false testimony submitted to the Supreme Court apparently doesn’t interest her either. The investigative authorities, through their conduct, are tainting the investigation.”

“Even the head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division (Lahav 433), although listed as attending, canceled his appearance after reading the letter. By failing to appear before the committee, he chose to demonstrate his subordination to someone who could be a witness in the investigation—rather than to the law itself.”

Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth said during the hearing. “The very people involved in the affair are the ones conducting the investigation. We have a system that protects itself instead of protecting the truth. The Attorney General cannot be the suspect, the supervisor, and the judge all at once.”

Bismuth also slammed the opposition members, saying, “What’s interesting here isn’t necessarily those of us who are present, but rather those who aren’t. My friends in the opposition are giving us a lesson in hypocrisy.”

“Not a single representative from the opposition came to the hearing—as if we live in a parallel universe. They lie to the Supreme Court, and suddenly, the opposition goes silent. ‘The Supreme Court is a sacred institution’—but only as long as it fits their agenda.”

“The Attorney General refused to appear before the Knesset. The head of the Investigations Division, who was also supposed to attend, is absent.”

In her letter, Baharav-Miara claimed that she has no connection to the affair and was unaware of it, stating, “Information indicating the source of the leak or suspicion of criminal offenses arising from it was not previously in the possession of law enforcement authorities.”

She further claimed that “holding the Knesset discussion at this stage is highly likely to obstruct the investigation and taint the criminal process—whether intentionally or not.”

Communications Minister Shlomi Karhi said in an interview with Kol Chai: “The Attorney General does not recognize democracy. Backed by the Supreme Court, they think they are above the law. She can obstruct an investigation and lie to the Supreme Court in a letter claiming everything was investigated.

“This is a Golem that turned on its creator—a judicial system that was supposed to be a balancing power in a democracy and has become a ruling authority over the people. They scoff at the law, cancel laws and Basic Laws, and act as if they own the country.”

Karhi also attacked the rampant conflicts of interest within the legal system: “Ex-Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi closed a case against Baharav-Miara’s son. It’s unacceptable that the same person continues to handle matters that concern her. They scrutinize us relentlessly, but for themselves, everything is allowed—they are holy and pure.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)