Shaked vows to go on as Justice Minister despite 'ugly campaign against me'
"In recent days, there has been an unrestrained false attack of incitement against me including false and fabricated accusations."
By YONAH JEREMY BOB, MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMANUpdated: JANUARY 18, 2019 02:22Ayelet Shaked at a meeting, January 17th, 2019(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
“I plan to continue as justice minister for another four years, until I finish the revolution that I started,” Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said on Thursday, as political figures called for her resignation in the fallout of the Efi Nave affair.Nave, the former head of the Israel Bar Association, stepped down on Thursday amid allegations that he intervened on behalf of prospective judges for sexual favors.Speaking from a conference about Jewish law in Jerusalem, Shaked said: “In recent days, there has been an unrestrained false attack of incitement against me, including false and fabricated accusations.“The left-wing political attacks will not weaken me,’ she continued. “I plan to continue as justice minister for another four years until I finish the revolution I started.She said the most “disappointing” attacks of all are those that come from left-wing MKs – “those who I have worked with directly and fairly in the Knesset.“They know me well. We disagree ideologically, but I saw them as work friends. They are all women. And this is what disappointed me. They have exploited this affair to make an ugly and personal political campaign against me.”Nave worked as a close political ally to Shaked in selecting the country’s judges.In response to Shaked’s speech, MK Shelly Yacimovich said, “It is regrettable that instead of repenting for her sin, searching her soul and apologizing for her part in glorifying Efi Nave and placing unbridled power in his hands, Shaked is doing what she does best: attack.“The stain is on the wall and it will not be erased,” Yacimovich continued. “Her expectation that female Knesset members will not attack her simply because she is a woman is distorted.”MK Karin Elharar (Yesh Atid) also called on Shaked to reflect on her role in the sex scandal.
“Take responsibility!” Elharar said. “Your problematic connection with Efi Nave has led to a devastating blow to the judicial system. It is inconceivable that a justice minister, who has publicly stated more than once that she shares the same values as Efi Nave, does not search her conscience.”Elharar said Shaked would need to decide whether to step down or continue in her role but keep quiet.MK Merav Michaeli, chairwoman of the Caucus for Female Knesset Members, also came down hard on Shaked, saying the minister “understands political exploitation.”“Shaked used her role as a justice minister for a political campaign,” Michaeli said. “She damaged the judicial system for political purposes. And now, when her aggressive methods have allowed for corruption in the heart of the system, she is doing what the Right usual does: blame the Left.“Well, Ayelet,” said Michaeli, “it’s not the Left, it’s you.”
