Opposition Seeks Secret Vote on Giving Tally Gotliv Immunity

MK Meirav Ben Ari of Yesh Atid asked Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Monday to make the plenary vote on removing MK Tally Gotliv’s immunity secret. Ben Ari argued that during an election period, when political and public pressure on lawmakers is high, a secret ballot would let each MK decide “according to conscience and judgment alone” and ensure a free, substantive, pressure-free decision on such a sensitive issue.

Her request came after the Knesset Committee refused to strip Gotliv of immunity and two days before the expected final vote in the plenum. Ben Ari also criticized the committee’s three days of hearings, saying they had become, “unfortunately, a stage for spreading baseless conspiracy theories and for unprecedented attacks on the judiciary and law enforcement.” Opposition figures believe some MKs want to remove Gotliv’s immunity but are holding back for political reasons. The chance that Ohana will accept the request is considered low, because plenary votes are normally open and Likud MKs are unlikely to publicly oppose Gotliv.

Earlier, after three days of hearings, the committee voted to grant Gotliv immunity from the indictment filed against her for publishing the name of an Shin Bet officer who is the husband of protest activist Shikma Bressler. Eleven MKs backed immunity and three opposed it. The final decision now moves to the Knesset plenum, which is scheduled to vote on Wednesday.

Before the vote, opposition members tried to delay proceedings with shouting, disrupting the schedule, though not the committee’s ultimate decision. In her closing remarks, Gotliv again raised conspiracy theories about the October 7 attack and said, “It was an embarrassing show for the opposition.” She claimed critics had not read the indictment, and denied harming state security, saying, “The only thing that interests me is the people of Israel and the Land of Israel.” During the session, she interrupted Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara as she explained the allegations and why immunity should not apply, then shouted at opposition members, “What did they hear from Yahya Sinwar?!” and barked “woof, woof, woof.”

If immunity is approved, Gotliv will be shielded from trial during the current Knesset term, but would have to seek immunity again in the next Knesset. The indictment charges her with revealing and publishing classified information, an offense that can carry up to three years in prison. Prosecutors say that in January 2024 she posted a screenshot from the website Edna Krenbel claiming that the Mossad director had received U.S. information about intercepted conversations between Shikma Bressler’s husband and Yahya Sinwar four days before October 7, 2023.