Watchdog Group Petitions Supreme Court Against AG Over Election Bribery Probe

The "Lavi" organization for citizen rights, proper governance, and settlement encouragement has filed an urgent petition with the Supreme Court of Justice (Bagatz) against the Attorney General, the State Prosecutor, the head of the Shin Bet, and the Commissioner of Police. The petition demands the removal of restrictions placed on the investigation into suspicions of election bribery, foreign funding, and foreign interference in the 26th Knesset elections.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Yitzhak Bam and Avishag Schwartz, specifically targets the Attorney General's decision to require her prior approval for investigating parliamentary aides, arguing their investigation is part of a Knesset member's probe and thus covered by immunity rules. The petitioners contend this is an unauthorized intervention in the professional discretion of the Shin Bet and police, and that no law grants parliamentary aides immunity from investigation. They cite a previous Supreme Court ruling stating that even Knesset members themselves are not immune from criminal investigation, referencing a case where the court rejected extending immunity to a Knesset member's aides without explicit legislation.

The petition also highlights that the Attorney General's own guidelines require informing her of Knesset member investigations, not obtaining prior approval. The group argues that demanding evidence before an investigation can begin reverses the natural order, as the purpose of an investigation is to gather evidence. Furthermore, they claim the Attorney General's conduct contradicts her recent stance, as clarified by the Supreme Court, that prosecutorial guidance does not negate investigators' discretion.

The petition reveals the gravity of information presented to the Central Elections Committee, with Shin Bet intelligence allegedly indicating large sums of money transferred from foreign countries by hidden and potentially hostile interests to influence the elections. The scope of this phenomenon could involve thousands of people. Lavi emphasizes the urgency due to legal timelines, with a 14-day window for election result appeals starting November 4th and the new Knesset set to be sworn in on November 10th. Delays, they argue, could lead to evidence tampering and hinder the investigation before election and government formation procedures are finalized.

The Lavi organization stated, "The State of Israel is facing one of the most severe cases in its election history. When the Shin Bet points to suspicions of money transfers from foreign countries and interference in the democratic process, the public expects the investigative authorities to leave no stone unturned to uncover the truth. Instead of allowing investigators to do their work, the Attorney General is placing obstacles before them that do not exist in law and effectively granting immunity to those to whom the legislator never granted immunity. It is unacceptable that when suspicion of foreign interference in Israeli elections arises, the one who is supposed to protect the rule of law becomes the one limiting the investigation. No one is above the law, there is no immunity from investigation, and the Attorney General has no authority to invent new immunities. We demand the Supreme Court intervene urgently, remove the barriers, and allow the Shin Bet and police to investigate the affair to its end, without fear or favor. The integrity of elections and public trust in Israeli democracy are at stake."