Nearly three months after former military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi attempted suicide following the exposure of the Sde Teiman video leak affair, police announced Tuesday that investigators have completed the main phases of the probe.
Police Commissioner Danny Levy decided not to transfer the investigation materials to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. Instead, the case file will be sent to Yael Kotick, the legal adviser to the Justice Ministry, who will determine whether the materials should be reviewed by an external, authorized body to assess whether further investigative steps or indictments are warranted.
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Danny Levy, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Gali Baharv-Miara
(Phoot: Amit Shabi, Shaul Golan, Alex Kolomoisky)
Kotick is considered close to Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who in recent months failed to appoint an agreed-upon external reviewer for the investigation after his proposed candidates were rejected. The Haaretz daily reported about three months ago that Kotick did not disclose to the professional committee that reviewed her appointment that her husband, Eilon Kotick, has a personal relationship with Levin.
According to the report, she also did not include the relationship in her conflict-of-interest declaration and failed to disclose that her brother, a senior Likud activist, is in contact with the justice minister.
In its statement, police said Levy met with the head of the investigations and intelligence division, Boaz Balt, and the investigative team, who briefed him on the findings.
“The police commissioner examined several fundamental issues and received the necessary explanations from the investigative team,” the statement said, adding that “contrary to incorrect reports, the commissioner did not interfere with the investigation.”
Police said that given the case’s high public sensitivity and the commissioner’s public responsibility, Levy believes it is appropriate to allow an additional senior professional body, external to the police, to review the investigation “to strengthen public trust,” in line with past practice and a High Court ruling.
Such an external reviewer has not yet been appointed, police said. In light of the “unique circumstances” and the facts uncovered so far, the commissioner instructed the police legal adviser to update the Justice Ministry’s legal adviser on the relevant findings, particularly as they relate to potential conflicts of interest.
Levy decided that, based on the opinion issued by the Justice Ministry’s legal adviser, the investigation materials will be transferred to an authorized external review body. That body will be tasked with examining the findings and determining the next steps, including whether further investigative actions are required, whether to summon additional witnesses or suspects, or whether to file indictments against relevant suspects.