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Senior officials recommended, subordinates disagree: Who is the elected state attorney

The women's organizations wanted to cancel the election of Haifa District Attorney Amit Isman due to statements from his past.

But people who have worked and are working under it paint a more complex picture - of an excellent jurist who thinks outside the box, but also of a tough and demanding boss, to the point of "intimidating", according to some of them.

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Daniel Dolev and Yoav Itiel

Wednesday, 02 December 2020, 21:57

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Photo: Yotam Ronen

The decision to appoint the Haifa District Attorney, Amit Isman, as the next State Attorney, provokes much criticism, especially among women's rights organizations.

The reason is two inappropriate remarks from the senior attorney, who even acquitted him with a warning from former Justice Department director Amy Palmor. From the same statements, and in any case - much more complex. The

first statement attributed to Isman was made around 2008, while serving as a department head. He talked to one of the prosecutors about a sexual offenses case, and at one point turned to an intern who was in the room Isman turned to the lawyer with whom he spoke and told her: "You see, this is a normal girl, she does not keep such things in the closet," referring to the complainant in the case in question. The

second statement attributed to him was allegedly made by him to another lawyer, said in 2014. Served as a district attorney. According to the same attorney, she asked to consult with Isman regarding the case, which the defense attorney pressured her to reach a plea deal. According to her version, Isman told her: "You are not a man, you have no eggs, right ...?

"When you are a man and your eggs are crushed, then there is a feeling of pain, but there is also a feeling of pleasure, and that is what the defense attorney does to us."

More on Walla!

NEWS

• Nissenkorn to Isman: You can serve as state's attorney, despite your past statements about women

• The search committee recommended Amit Isman for the position of state attorney

• The world belongs to women: Get to know the women who lead the sowing herd

The appointment caused a stir, but the full picture is more complex.

Amit Isman (Photo: Ministry of Justice Spokeswoman)

In an interview with the search committee, it was Isman who addressed the affair at the outset.

"He expressed regret and took responsibility for his actions," the commission said in its decision.

Isman presented to the committee members his vision regarding the State Attorney's Office, and focused specifically on the things he intends to change, in order to increase the public's trust in it.

Isman's list of recommenders also left an impression on members: Retired Supreme Court justices Edna Arbel and Yoram Danziger, who head committees headed by a district attorney, also praised him.

So is Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron, who has known Isman well since the years he served in the Haifa District Court.

More on Walla!

NEWS

Senior Attorney: "You're not a man, you have no eggs"

To the full article

Nissenkorn and the designated state attorney Isman, yesterday (Photo: Ministry of Justice spokeswoman)

Two years ago, the ombudsman - Raz Nazri and Amit Merari - wrote him warm letters of recommendation, as did the Haifa District Public Defender, Adv. Anat, the founder of Canaan, and the district committee chairman of the Bar Association, Adv. Tami Ullman.

There was also former ombudsman Weinstein, former state attorney Shai Nitzan, whose deputy served as deputy for some time, and the list of recommenders goes on and on.

Once the interviews ended and the discussion on the candidates began, within minutes it was clear that Issman was the preferred candidate for all five members Still, the hearing lasted about two more hours, much of which was devoted to the question of whether those wrong statements should prevent Isman from serving as Israel's senior attorney, and what the price of appointing an attorney was less appropriate. In the end, the committee decided to recommend Isman unanimously. To the two statements from his past.

Women's organizations against Isman: "His choice is wrong"

The decision was immediately criticized by the women's organizations.

The Women's Lobby in Israel, NAMAT and the "Itach-Maaki" organization were quick to protest the choice of the lawyer who made the inappropriate remarks, and called on the Minister of Justice not to accept the recommendation.

"The choice of Amit Isman for the state attorney - "said Tamar Schwartz, director of the" feminine spirit. "she explained that" his remarks about women in the past, are not serious enough to prevent the appointment, even though he apologized and even if it is superior barrister. "

No one of those who worked alongside Isman in the district and the State Attorney's Office spoke to Walla! NEWS, not disagreeing that he is an excellent attorney and a professional. Some people may even "terrorize" their subordinates.

"Even if he apologized, the choice was wrong."

Tamar Schwartz, CEO of Ruach Neshit

"It's a mix of the two," said Advocate Rania Seroji, who currently works for the Public Defender's Office but previously worked for nine years under Isman at the Haifa District Attorney's Office. "He is a tough and tough man, very opinionated, and we had disagreements, but I appreciate Him and thinks he is being murdered in a way unrelated to reality. "

She explained that" I worked with him on sensitive sex cases of girls from the sector, which means a complaint there is life and death, and the cases received professional treatment.

I never felt silenced or anything like that. "She said," I have a criticism of him - he is very focused, he wants to make all the decisions, but he managed to bring the prosecution to a unified voice.

If someone is standing in front of him who can't stand his ground, then that person will be offended by him, that's how life is. "Seroji added that" a colleague is a strong, dominant, difficult person, but if you have a backbone - you can deal with him. "

Regarding Isman’s remarks, Seroji added that “he is so careful and sensitive to this matter that I knew he could not even come close to a story of sexual harassment.

Already when it exploded I said there was no chance. "She claimed that" these statements are not successful, but I had no problem with these conversations. "

"People are very afraid of his reactions"

"I'm a woman, I worked there, I had sex cases and conversations about sex cases, and when you work on things like that it starts to be a job for you," Seroji continued.

"It happens in murder cases as well, both in domestic violence cases and in sex cases. I guess it stemmed from this place."

Another attorney who previously worked under Isman, and like most of the interviewees asked to remain anonymous, sees things more seriously.

"He controls with a level hand and that is control out of fear," she said.

"Legally he is fine, but he has no ability to be admired and people will listen to him because they want his best. People are very afraid of his reactions because he can belittle and ridicule, so they do not want to confront him and are afraid to express their opinions," the lawyer added.

The Public Defender's Office and the Legal Aid Division of the Ministry of Justice (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Several sources outside the Haifa district said that Eisman did indeed have the name of an aggressive manager towards his subordinates, and even more so, but the district attorney's office in particular usually provided the opposite picture.

"I have known him for many years," said a lawyer who worked with Isman and is still in the civil service.

"There was a case where I made a mistake and I remember knocking on a colleague's door, when he was already a manager. I came to him and did not know what to do with myself, and he told me that everything was fine and we would solve it. I got backup and a feeling that everything would work out."

At the professional level, the same attorney says that Isman "instilled in the district an internal audit, with backing for people. Even before he was a prosecutor, that's how a colleague worked."

"When it comes to looking at how to promote things, there was a case of trafficking in women, Amit is the first in the country to consider attributing criminal organization offenses to women traffickers in order to aggravate punishment. This is a small example, which characterizes thinking outside the box."

"Sometimes he's a tough boss, but he does not cross the line."

"First of all, he's not a soft-spoken manager," said another district attorney.

"But I do not think the system needs such a soft person. He has requirements, it is a very busy district, but everything is run in a very orderly manner with us."

The attorney added that "meetings with the district attorney are always with the team leader and the department manager, and it is always important for a colleague to hear what the young attorney has to say."

"There was a situation of a case that was in the post-summary stage, with minor defendants confessing," she continued.

"But the prosecutor there felt that the accusation had not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. He looked at the case and told her - 'Return the indictment'. The matter of adhering to the rights of suspects and constantly examining ourselves, he has the courage to correct things that need to be corrected, because we all agree. "That the system is not perfect. So sometimes he is a tough boss, but he does not cross the line and does not humiliate."

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