High Court Slams Netanyahu Over Vote on Second Authority Council Appointment

Israel’s Supreme Court heard five petitions on Tuesday against the appointment of a political council for the Second Authority, headed by Dr. Yifat Ben Haim Seggev. The challenge centers on reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the Cabinet vote and backed her appointment, even though she is a prosecution witness in Case 4000 and had earlier changed her testimony in a way that helped him.

Justice Alex Stein sharply criticized Netanyahu’s involvement. He said, “As long as the trial is not over, she is still a prosecution witness. As long as the trial is ongoing, the prime minister is not allowed to deal with the matter. Sometimes rules must be followed as they should be.” He added, “As long as the trial is not over, contact with prosecution witnesses is forbidden.”

Netanyahu’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, argued that the appointment could have been avoided if the legal advice had been respected and the government had waited. “What was the rush?” he asked, noting that the decision came during wartime. He said, “Maybe if we had waited for the opinion, we would not be here.”

The article says Ben Haim Seggev, a former chair of the Cable and Satellite Council, changed her testimony during Netanyahu’s criminal trial, prompting the prosecution to seek to declare her a hostile witness. That request was rejected, but the judges allowed cross-examination. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has already said Netanyahu acted in a conflict of interest during the vote and is now examining the implications of the breach.