Ex-Police Investigator Admits Meeting Journalist for Netanyahu Intel

A former senior investigator in Israel's Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit, Eran Kamin, confirmed under cross-examination that he met privately with journalist Ben Caspit to gather intelligence on the Netanyahu family. Kamin stated the meeting, held at a cafe, was to verify information related to the "residence affair" case and that he did not record the conversation. He also admitted that he did not obtain prior approval from the Attorney General for the meeting, though he believed his superior had the necessary authorization.

Kamin explained that the meeting with Caspit was initiated because he wanted to clarify the reliability of information he had received. He testified that Caspit's subsequent formal testimony to Lahav 433 stemmed directly from this initial encounter. When questioned about the lack of documentation for the meeting, Kamin initially suggested a memo might exist but later conceded that if none was found, he would have made a note of it, acknowledging that such events are not always memorable.

During the heated exchange, Kamin was pressed by defense attorney Amit Haddad regarding his alleged animosity towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Haddad presented past statements where Kamin reportedly referred to ministers as "eunuchs" and Netanyahu as "The Godfather." Kamin did not deny these remarks, confirming his opinion that Netanyahu "operates like a crime family" and stating he would elaborate if the court wished.

The defense is using Kamin's testimony to argue that police investigators gathered evidence and conducted significant investigative actions against a sitting prime minister before obtaining the required legal approval from the Attorney General. Kamin, however, maintains that preliminary intelligence gathering and verification do not constitute a formal investigation requiring individual approval, and that relying on his superior's authorization was sufficient.