[48635] The storm of testimonies in the Netanyahu trial: Allegations of irregularities in investigations and improper relationships in the Police Investigation Department (Mahash)
Storm surrounding the conduct of enforcement systems and the Netanyahu trial
On a day full of developments in the legal system and the investigation arena, serious allegations are being raised against the conduct of law enforcement bodies. Eli Tsipori, a journalist who frequently criticizes the justice system and the State Attorney's Office, reported extensively on the testimony of Sara Davidi, an investigator at the Israel Securities Authority, as part of the defense testimony in the Netanyahu trial. According to Tsipori's reports, Davidi confirmed that searches were conducted on phones and materials unrelated to the original suspicions, including "rummaging through Orna Elovitch's phone", even though she was not suspected of anything. Davidi described the actions as having been carried out under the instructions of her commanders, while frequently answering that she "does not remember and does not know" questions concerning the authorization of these actions.
Simultaneously, Israel News IL reports that the Commissioner of the Israel Prison Service, Kobi Yaakobi, appealed to the Attorney General with a serious allegation against the Police Investigation Department (Mahash). According to Yaakobi, "a Mahash investigator who interrogated me in the case was in an intimate relationship with a witness who gave testimony against me". Yaakobi emphasizes that the matter was raised in a hearing and in an official letter, but no significant steps have been taken in the matter so far, more than a week later.
Tsipori's reports, which present a consistent line of questioning the integrity of the investigations in the Netanyahu cases, also focus on the claim that the State Attorney's Office chose to forgo the testimony of Rinat Hazut, a police investigator who documented the investigation materials in Case 4000. According to his claim, Hazut was a witness to what he calls "illegal investigation tactics". Conversely, Davidi's testimony is perceived by critics as proof of what they call "Stasiland" – a nickname used by Tsipori to describe massive intrusion into privacy without lawful judicial warrants.
The affair reflects growing tension between law enforcement authorities and the defense in the Netanyahu trial, as the focus shifts from the charges themselves to the ways in which evidence was collected and the integrity of the investigating systems. While enforcement agencies have yet to respond to the specific claims raised today, critical voices continue to demand clarifications regarding the chain of command and the legality of the information gathering.