The Government Investigation Committee for Investigating Spies (Pegasus), which froze its activities following the Iron Swords War, announced the resumption of its activities.
In a letter to the Minister of Justice Yariv Levin, the members of the committee, led by Judge Moshe Drori, request the extension of the mandate for its activities from March 2024, the date when it should have presented its conclusions, until December 2024. The committee also requests the allocation of the resources it needs to fulfill its duties, resources that have not yet been transferred due to the events .
Netanyahu on the Pegasus affair // Knesset Channel
In a letter to Minister Levin, the members of the committee write that "On October 7, 2023, following the criminal and brutal terrorist attack by the terrorist organization Hamas on the State of Israel, a war of iron swords began. With the outbreak of hostilities, the committee believed that in times of war, it is true that the attention of the security and judicial authorities, including those being examined on by the committee, will be devoted mainly to the fighting events. Therefore, the committee decided, for reasons of self-restraint and participation in the war effort, to suspend its activity until a new announcement and the stabilization of the security situation. This is what we have done during the last three months."
The letter also states that "the committee intends to resume its activities only after a renewed assessment of the situation regarding the war situation, with an emphasis on the scope of the enlisted reservists."
The members of the committee, retired judge Moshe Drori, former national public defender Inbal Rubinstein and retired Shin Bet officer Shalom Ben Hanan, request to extend the mandate, as mentioned, until December and ask the Ministry of Justice to make available to them the necessary resources, including a budget for renting an office, employees and other factors. Until the end of March.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
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speed up the preparation
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The letter states that "the committee recommends that it instruct the Ministry of Justice officials to speed up the preparation for the committee's activity, with an emphasis on computerization and security preparation. This, of course, with the changes required considering the current operational and budgetary reality, of which we are well aware. We will propose that it be determined that the technical preparation required for the return of the committee's activity will be completed in full until the beginning of March 2024".
Ombudsman Gali Behara-Miara stated that the committee is limited in its work and cannot deal with pending cases, such as the cases of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Exceeding authority
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Various organizations petitioned the High Court against the establishment of the committee, claiming that the committee was established due to a conflict of interest in order to influence Netanyahu's cases.
According to the petitioners, the committee was established "in excess of authority, for extraneous motives, to promote improper goals, in conflict of interests, while not considering considerations of damage to the security of the state, in complete disregard of the position of the relevant security forces and in contrast to the position of the legal adviser to the government, Gali Beharve-Miara."
In response to the petitions, the members of the committee drew up a reply to the High Court, in which they claim, among other things, that it has the authority to also discuss pending cases such as the Netanyahu cases, contrary to the position of the legal advisor to the government.
The members of the committee believe that the investigation using spies that the police used should also be done regarding the cases being discussed in court, including the Netanyahu cases.
The committee has not yet submitted its response to the court, but the direction evident from the draft that is now taking shape is that the committee rejects the position of the legal advisor to the government and intends to also discuss the Netanyahu investigations, in which, according to the claim, prohibited spy software was used.
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