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'No evidential base.' Weinstein
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Respects the decision. Klein
Photo: Mati Elmaliach
Burnt bus where Topaz died
Photo: AFP

AG: No criminal probe into Carmel fire

Yehuda Weinstein replies to letter of blaze victim's father, who demanded criminal investigation against PM, senior ministers. 'The place of the discussion is not in the criminal arena, but in the public, parliamentary arena,' he says

The prime minister and his senior ministers will not face a criminal investigation over the fatal Carmel fire. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein on Monday replied to a letter submitted by retired police majors generals, Ze'ev Even Chen and Haim Klein, and wrote that "the place of discussion is not in the criminal arena, but in the public and parliamentary arena."

 

The father of Topaz Even Chen, one of the 44 victims who died in the Carmel forest blaze, appealed to Weinstein along with Topaz's father-in-law, asking him to launch a criminal investigation against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ministers Eli Yishai, Yuval Steinitz and Ehud Barak, who also drew harsh criticism in the state comptroller's latest report.

 

In his reply, Weinstein first offered his condolences, but added that "after reviewing your request, I do not believe that there is an evidential base that will justify a criminal investigation."

 

In an earlier letter, the attorney general wrote senior police officers that discussion over the "tragic event" can take place within different committees – "national commission of inquiry, government revision committee, clarification committee or parliamentary commission of inquiry," he wrote.

 

Weinstein noted that State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss wasappointed to examine the disaster – and if any suspicion of a felony is revealed, he will hand the matter back to the general attorney for further examination.

 

"If one of the aforementioned committees is established, the accountability of the prime minister and ministers mentioned in your appeal will also be examined.

 

"At least for the time being, I think the legal-criminal arena is not the appropriate sphere to examine the responsibility of the elements mentioned in your letter," Weinstein concluded.

 

Even Chen and Klein commented on Weinstein's reply, saying they respected his decision "although it does not reflect our position." The two noted that despite using cautious language, they believed the general attorney expects a thorough and comprehensive probe into the circumstances of the incident.

 

"The problem is that the prime minister and ministers' political-parliamentary power prevents the establishment of a national commission of inquiry that will probe the failures that led to the disaster and those responsible for the tragic results of the fire," they wrote in response.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.27.10, 15:31
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