[66628] Brig. Gen. G's affidavit storm: Disagreements surrounding Gofman's testimony to the High Court of Justice

Brig. Gen. G's affidavit storm: Disagreements surrounding Gofman's testimony to the High Court of Justice

The publication of Brig. Gen. G's affidavit regarding the Gofman affair is sparking a lively debate among legal and political commentators. The document, which has been declassified, now stands at the heart of the debate over whether Gofman presented a full picture to the High Court of Justice or whether he withheld material information during the hearings regarding his appointment.

On one hand, Ben Caspit, who expresses a critical position regarding Gofman's conduct, claims that according to the affidavit, "Gofman tried to conceal this conversation" and that the attempt to present it as a conversation held "casually" is not consistent with the facts, as it was a "deep and comprehensive" conversation.

On the other hand, Avishai Grinzaig presents a line of defense for Gofman. He claims that in G's affidavit it is emphasized that the investigation focused on the transfer of intelligence materials and not on an "influence operation." Grinzaig notes that "it is highly doubtful whether this is a lie or simply a lack of knowledge," as Gofman actually confirmed the existence of the operation, which suggests, in his view, that he had no interest in lying about a specific channel.

Netael Bandel points to a material gap between the current affidavit and a "real-time" document from 2022. According to Bandel, while Gofman may have told the truth in the current affidavit, the old document states that he was asked about "any connection" to a Telegram channel and answered in the negative – an answer that contradicts his own admission regarding the authorization to transfer information. Bandel concludes that "as more information accumulates, the flawed conduct" of the committee chairman, retired judge Grunis, becomes sharper, and that it is not impossible that the High Court of Justice will order the committee to reconvene for further deliberation.