The police espionage affair:
Police Commissioner, Superintendent Kobi Shabtai, spoke this evening (Tuesday) during the graduation ceremony of a Border Police officer course.
In his speech, the commissioner first referred to the findings of the commission of inquiry into the NSO affair.
"The Israeli police have been charged with serious false accusations that have humanly damaged not only public trust in the police, but in all law enforcement agencies. The so-called 'Pike News' has managed to infiltrate the institutionalized media and cause great damage that will take us a long time to repair," he said tonight.
In his remarks, he referred to the public discourse "created around the incorrect publications, and the way in which the police, the prosecutor's office, the judicial system and in fact all state authorities are perceived today, could lead to the cutting of the industry we sit on. This is a trend that endangers Israeli society."
"The team's findings prove beyond a shadow of a doubt - the Israel Police did not act and do not act in violation of the law and I promise that this will continue to be the case. "Someone, no matter when, no matter his position and no matter his rank, took advantage of the capabilities of the Israel Police and did things that should not have been done. I will personally see to it that he is punished for that."
On the role of the media, he said: "In a democracy, the media plays an extremely important role, and we as the police respect this and even work to enable freedom of the press, but along with the great importance of free media, there is also great responsibility. "
"As the inspections deepened and the same anomaly was found in the technical work of the system, from several years ago, we immediately reported it to the then Attorney General, the Minister of Internal Security and the entire public."
The commissioner also chose to convey a reassuring message to the public: "The Israel Police is not spying on its citizens.
The Israeli police do not spy on demonstrators and innocent people.
The Israel Police will continue to act against the criminals, subject to all legal approvals and with all its technological capabilities. "
"Along with these things, and in order to restore the public's trust in law enforcement systems, we will continue to cooperate with the further investigation of the Merri team in order to establish the uses of cyber systems over the years.
As you may recall, the team that investigated the allegations of illegal use of NSO software determined yesterday that there was no evidence that the police had illegally used Pegasus software against public figures who appeared in the "Calcalist" investigation.
The findings of the inspection were submitted to the spokesperson for Gali in Rabbi Miara. The Minister of Internal Security, Amar Bar-Lev, greeted: "A resounding acquittal to the Israel Police."
A statement from the inspection team, appointed by Prime Minister Bennett, stated: "Pegasus, in her possession, without a court order, is a telephone of who among the list of people published in the media."
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