Attorney Kaneret Barashi Alleges Political Conspiracy Behind Netanyahu Trial
Attorney Kaneret Barashi, who closely follows every detail of Benjamin Netanyahu's trial through the Open Studio initiative, accuses media figures and legal officials of orchestrating a politically motivated prosecution against the Israeli Prime Minister. In the third interview of a series investigating the origins of the criminal case against Netanyahu, Barashi claims the investigation was baseless and driven by actors including prosecutors Shai Nitzan and Liat Ben Ari, supported by certain media outlets. She argues that after failing to sway public opinion openly, these actors resorted to indirect means, filing charges that have since been undermined in court.
Barashi highlights serious procedural violations during the investigation, such as unauthorized surveillance, illegal access to emails and phones, and planting spyware on private residences, including that of the mayor of Hadera. She emphasizes that these tools, intended for tracking enemies, were misused to target Netanyahu and that many prosecution witnesses admitted to being pressured to testify against him. She also points to leaks of confidential investigation materials to journalists like Guy Peleg and Raviv Drucker, despite defense teams lacking access, suggesting collusion between the prosecution and police to influence public opinion.
The attorney recalls that the entire Case 4000 began with a newspaper article in Haaretz, which seemingly prompted the prosecution to investigate. She defends lawful requests for corruption probes but condemns the unauthorized dissemination of investigation details to the media. Barashi also criticizes the prosecution's persistence in pursuing charges despite court rulings to drop bribery allegations, interpreting this as an attempt to prevent Netanyahu's political comeback.
Barashi references testimony from police officer R.P.C. Harpaz, who was caught lying about his knowledge of a covert operation against Nir Hefetz, and about evidence destruction by investigators, which she describes as criminal acts. She warns that the country is confusing legitimate opposition to Netanyahu with undermining democracy and rule of law, accusing some officials of criminal behavior rather than safeguarding justice.
Concluding, Barashi questions why key figures harmed by the trial, including Netanyahu himself, have not filed complaints with the Police Investigations Department, expressing bafflement at their inaction. This interview follows previous discussions with other legal experts exploring responsibility for initiating the Netanyahu trial and its broader implications for Israeli society and governance.
