PM's lawyers: law enforcement illegally leaked information 122 times
"This is a blatant case where quantity transformed into quality and that the volume and constancy of leaks has infected the criminal investigation to its core," said lawyer Navot Tel Tzur
By YONAH JEREMY BOBUpdated: JANUARY 27, 2019 20:25Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit (R) during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem(photo credit: MENAHEM KAHANA / REUTERS)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lawyers sent a letter to Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit on Sunday accusing law enforcement of leaking 122 times against him illegally regarding his public corruption cases.Mandelblit’s office declined to comment.The letter from lead lawyer Navot Tel Zur said that, “this is a blatant case where quantity transformed into quality” and that the volume and constancy of leaks has infected the criminal investigation at its core.Further, he said the number of leaks indicated that illegal leaks have become a disturbing norm for law enforcement.Tel Zur’s letter comes after a similar letter he sent to Mandelblit last week in which he demanded the attorney-general order a criminal probe into the anti-Netanyahu evidence and unflattering details being leaked nearly daily, allegedly by law enforcement.Netanyahu’s spokesman did not produce a list of the leaks. However, recent weeks have seen numerous leaks of a variety of anti-Netanyahu evidence relating to his public corruption cases, from text messages to diary notes.In last week’s letter, the prime minister’s defense team argued it was not only unfair but criminal for law enforcement to be leaking details relating to Netanyahu’s public corruption cases to the public and the media.Mandelblit has not yet replied to last week’s letter either.The attorney-general is expected to announce an intent to indict Netanyahu for bribery and other crimes sometime before February 21 when political party lists close for the upcoming election.
