An opinion submitted to the Justice Ministry last month by "security officials" warned that there has been a "dramatic" increase in the level of threat to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
According to the opinion submitted to the Ministry of Justice, which is published here for the first time, since last February, the level of threats against the legal advisor has been set at the highest level. Since then, security officials have reported that the threat trend is becoming more extreme.
"Following a backlog of incidents, there has been a dramatic increase in the threat level against the Attorney General," the report said, "in such a way that she has been determined to have the highest threat level." Security sources expressed concern that the adviser's associates would enter the circle of potential harm.
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The details were revealed as part of a Freedom of Information request by the "Success" association, which demanded to receive the conflict of interest questionnaire of the Attorney General, as well as the National Fire Commissioner and the Prime Minister's Military Secretary. Following the petition, the Ministry of Justice submitted the questionnaires of the Secretary-General and the Fire Commissioner, but reservations were made regarding the Attorney General's questionnaire.
The Attorney General's Office agreed to submit the questionnaire, but subject to the Attorney General's personal safety. A statement given to the court last March, in agreement with the petitioners, stated that "in light of the recent increase in the level of threats against it, the respondents are waiting for a response from the security authorities regarding its transfer, and it will be delivered subject to their position and approval." In addition, the Ministry of Justice was charged NIS 13,<> in court costs.
In addition to many requests for conflict of interest questionnaires that were rejected in cases of other senior civil servants, there are more than 57 such requests received regarding questionnaires of civil servants, some of them senior officials, such as former Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Director General of the Ministry of Religious Services, and more.
Fear of harm to Bahrav-Miara and those close to her
Recently, the opinion regarding the Attorney General's threats was transferred to her office and is now being published for the first time. The opinion of the "security officials" stated that it was prevented from providing the conflict of interest questionnaire for fear of harming Bahrav-Miara and her relatives.
"Disclosure of her contacts and relatives and/or details about them may expand the circle of people who may be victims of potential harm," the opinion said. It was also noted that "'spotlighting' its surroundings and connections, at this time, will substantially harm the security interest. At this time, the request should be rejected, and no information that could harm the Attorney General's security or personal sense of security should be allowed."
The Justice Ministry refused to say to Israel Hayom whether the opinion was written by the Intelligence Directorate of the Israel Police or by the Justice Ministry's security officer.
Threats are not taken lightly - but only sensitive information should be protected
The legal advisor of the "Success" association, Adv. Elad Mann, protested against the Justice Ministry's refusal to hand over the consultant's conflict of interest questionnaire. In a letter sent to them, he argued that the entire questionnaire should not be completely withheld because of the threats, only sensitive information.
Mann wrote that "Success and the undersigned do not take lightly the matter of the attorney general being a threatened entity, and attempts to intimidate her should be condemned." However, he wrote that contrary to blanket confidentiality, there is "the possibility of partial and proportionate disclosure under the circumstances. Choosing the result whereby full confidentiality will be imposed on the questionnaire at this time and no details will be revealed from it, is unreasonable and has no justification."
At first, the Attorney General refused to disclose the conflict of interest arrangement as required, but agreed to do so after the arrangement was exposed in Israel Hayom, and after Success petitioned the court. Similarly, Israel Hayom reported that the attorney general, like her predecessor, published her diary in violation of freedom of information rules and contrary to her own position submitted to the High Court of Justice.
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