State claims petitions against Netanyahu 'a pressure campaign'
State asks High Court to reject petitions concerning three recent cases—in two of which PM Netanyahu is a suspect—claiming that they were made to put pressure on law enforcement authorities 'to make certain decisions.'
The state has requested the High Court of Justice to reject petitions filed concerning three major investigations—suspicions that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family received illict gifts, suspicions the prime minister met with Yedioth Ahronoth owner Arnon Mozes seeking to change coverage of him, and suspicions of a conflict of interest in a deal to purchase three submarines for the Israeli Navy from German conglomerate thyssenKrupp.
The state claims that the petitions—filed by MK Erel Margalit (Zionist Union), Attorney Eldad Yaniv and the Movement for Quality Government—are "part of a media campaign run by the petitioners to pressure law enforcement authorities to make certain decisions."
The state also addressed the petition requesting to bar Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit from dealing with the Mozes investigation, claiming a conflict of interest after serving as cabinet secretary under Netanyahu.
"His judgment is purely professional and is not influenced by any conflict of interest," the state claimed.
The state has also responded to the petitioners' request to reveal details of the investigations to the public, saying "an investigation cannot be held openly."
Earlier this week, State Attorney Shai Nitzan announced that the investigation into the submarines deal is being made into a criminal investigation. Prime Minister Netanyahu is not a suspect in this particular investigation.
The High Court is expected to hear the petitions next week.
