Police to recommend indictment for former IDF chief Ashkenazi
Scandal surrounding feud between former defense minister Ehud and Ashkenazi over appointment of successor some three years ago could see former IDF chief, former IDF spokesperson behind bars for breach of trust, obstruction of justice, respectively.
The police will recommend indicting former IDF chief of staff Lt.Gen. (res.) Gaby Ashkenazi, as well as former IDF spokesman Avi Benayahu, on charges of breach of trust as part of what has become to be known as the Harpaz Affair – a scandal surrounding the race to nominate Ashkenazi's successor some three years ago.
The affair is named for Lt. Colonel (res.) Boaz Harpaz, who forged a letter intending to cast doubt over the candidacy of Major General Yoav Galant as the new head of the military. Galant's nomination was backed by then-defense minister Ehud Barak, while Ashkenazi preferred Major General Gadi Eizenkot.
Ashkenazi, who was viewed by many as a possible candidate for prime minister in a future election, could face charges of passing on secret information to unauthorized people as well as charges of breach of trust after he failed to pass on the forged letter he had in his possession.
Some of the charges he faces include moral turpitude that could bar him from running in future elections if convicted.
It is worth noting that the police's recommendations are subject to the State Attorney's discretion, and do not represent a binding legal decision.
Former IDF spokesperson, Avi Benayahu, as well as his former aid Colonel Erez Weiner, could also faces criminal charges, with the police recommending Benayahu be indicted for obstruction of justice, negligently holding a secret document and breach of trust.
The crux of the investigation against Benayahu and Weiner is based on a phone call between their respective offices, in which they were recorded discussing a mud racking report they were pushing in one of Israel's major media outlets against Barack.
The police recommended Weiner face charges of obstruction of justice, for allegedly deleting embarrassing parts of the conversation ahead of a possible internal affairs investigation.
