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1 juli 2011
Harpaz testimony for state comptroller reopens forged document case
The main question is whether there was a conspiracy to forge the document or whether it was a solo action, as the police say.
Boaz Harpaz has struck again. The reserve officer who admitted last August to forging a document that nearly decided the race for the post of chief of staff, has dropped a new bomb into the most loaded issue in the defense establishment. According to a report in Yedioth Aharonoth yesterday, Harpaz met twice last week with State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss and his staff and presented them with his detailed version of the affair.
The newspaper quotes a "legal source," who claims that Harpaz decided that henceforth he will act in line with his own interests. In other words, this suggests he will cease defending his long-time patron, former Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.
Was the leak from the State Comptroller's Office?
The report has clearly done enormous damage to the probe of the state comptroller. Harpaz's testimony was meant to be kept secret, at least at this stage, and it seems Lindenstrauss and his staff had planned to meet with him again.
Now, it's unclear whether such a meeting will take place because the comptroller cannot invite Harpaz for another meeting as he is not a state's witness. At the State Comptroller's Office they confirmed yesterday that Harpaz had twice attended meetings with Lindenstrauss and his staff.
"Any other detail beyond the existence of the meetings is purely speculation and baseless guessing," they said in response.
Those close to Harpaz were more blatant. Harpaz, they said, did meet with the state comptroller following his request, and answered questions in detail. However, they say there is no truth to the claim that he harmed Ashkenazi in his testimony.
"This is extremely unfounded information. There are those who are interested in spreading all sorts of imaginary scenarios, making use of underworld terminology, as if someone has ratted on someone else. This is a fictitious spin," they said.
Harpaz, of course, is the key figure in the affair that now goes by his name. According to the police, he admitted during questioning that he forged the document that was made public on Channel 2 on August 6, 2010 - the document, it was originally claimed, was part of a plan to promote Major General Yoav Galant to the post of chief of staff, besmirching his rivals.
During questioning, Harpaz said that he acted alone. Despite reservations, the investigators accepted his version.
Will the testimony Harpaz gave the state comptroller serve to clarify the question marks in the affair? Harpaz is a very sophisticated person. The several versions of events that he gave the police contained contradictions. There's no certainty that what he told Lindenstrauss last week is true. The few sources familiar with the police investigation, and less so with the probe of the state comptroller, said that to date Harpaz has in some way been covering for Ashkenazi.
The main question is whether there was a conspiracy to forge the document or whether it was a solo action, as the police said on the basis of the Harpaz testimony. The claim, mainly from supporters of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, that Ashkenazi was somehow involved in the forgery is unlikely, and the former chief of staff has denied it several times.
However, there are doubts in the minds of investigators about Ashkenazi's claims, before the General Staff and to the public, that Harpaz was not close to him, and that their ties over the years were sporadic.
It's also still unclear how the leak of the document occurred, from the assistant to the chief of staff to Channel 2. Was it mere coincidence that the leak occurred at a time when, allegedly, it served Ashkenazi best?
http://fwd4.me/05N4
Harpaz testimony for state comptroller reopens forged document case
The main question is whether there was a conspiracy to forge the document or whether it was a solo action, as the police say.
Boaz Harpaz has struck again. The reserve officer who admitted last August to forging a document that nearly decided the race for the post of chief of staff, has dropped a new bomb into the most loaded issue in the defense establishment. According to a report in Yedioth Aharonoth yesterday, Harpaz met twice last week with State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss and his staff and presented them with his detailed version of the affair.
The newspaper quotes a "legal source," who claims that Harpaz decided that henceforth he will act in line with his own interests. In other words, this suggests he will cease defending his long-time patron, former Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi.
Was the leak from the State Comptroller's Office?
The report has clearly done enormous damage to the probe of the state comptroller. Harpaz's testimony was meant to be kept secret, at least at this stage, and it seems Lindenstrauss and his staff had planned to meet with him again.
Now, it's unclear whether such a meeting will take place because the comptroller cannot invite Harpaz for another meeting as he is not a state's witness. At the State Comptroller's Office they confirmed yesterday that Harpaz had twice attended meetings with Lindenstrauss and his staff.
"Any other detail beyond the existence of the meetings is purely speculation and baseless guessing," they said in response.
Those close to Harpaz were more blatant. Harpaz, they said, did meet with the state comptroller following his request, and answered questions in detail. However, they say there is no truth to the claim that he harmed Ashkenazi in his testimony.
"This is extremely unfounded information. There are those who are interested in spreading all sorts of imaginary scenarios, making use of underworld terminology, as if someone has ratted on someone else. This is a fictitious spin," they said.
Harpaz, of course, is the key figure in the affair that now goes by his name. According to the police, he admitted during questioning that he forged the document that was made public on Channel 2 on August 6, 2010 - the document, it was originally claimed, was part of a plan to promote Major General Yoav Galant to the post of chief of staff, besmirching his rivals.
During questioning, Harpaz said that he acted alone. Despite reservations, the investigators accepted his version.
Will the testimony Harpaz gave the state comptroller serve to clarify the question marks in the affair? Harpaz is a very sophisticated person. The several versions of events that he gave the police contained contradictions. There's no certainty that what he told Lindenstrauss last week is true. The few sources familiar with the police investigation, and less so with the probe of the state comptroller, said that to date Harpaz has in some way been covering for Ashkenazi.
The main question is whether there was a conspiracy to forge the document or whether it was a solo action, as the police said on the basis of the Harpaz testimony. The claim, mainly from supporters of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, that Ashkenazi was somehow involved in the forgery is unlikely, and the former chief of staff has denied it several times.
However, there are doubts in the minds of investigators about Ashkenazi's claims, before the General Staff and to the public, that Harpaz was not close to him, and that their ties over the years were sporadic.
It's also still unclear how the leak of the document occurred, from the assistant to the chief of staff to Channel 2. Was it mere coincidence that the leak occurred at a time when, allegedly, it served Ashkenazi best?
http://fwd4.me/05N4
- 21 nov 2010
Galant document forger suspected of improper IDF intelligence ties
Along with MI, state comptroller's probes, AG is formulating conclusions following the release of police recommendations against Boaz Harpaz pertaining to the Galant document.
Two inquiry panels are examining whether the former Israel Defense Forces officer who admitted trying to improperly influence the race for chief of staff has also violated military regulations by maintaining ties with at least one of its most sensitive intelligence units.
The State Comptroller's Office and a Military Intelligence internal committee of inquiry are examining whether ties were renewed between Lt. Col. (res. ) Boaz Harpaz and the intelligence unit in clear contravention of the order given seven years ago by the MI chief at the time.
While investigating the drafting and distribution of the Galant document - a document which purported to show a concerted effort to have Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant appointed army chief - police began to suspect Harpaz had continued enjoying close ties with the MI special operations branch and had been exposed to highly sensitive information.
Heading the internal committee appointed by MI director Amos Yadlin is Dani Arditi. Arditi is a former high-ranking officer in the Sayeret Matkal commando unit, head of the National Security Council and chief of MI special operations. Arditi's committee, along with Yaakov Or, head of the security division in the State Comptroller's Office, is conducting an inquest into those and other suspicions.
An anonymous letter Harpaz penned seven years ago criticizing Zeevi Farkash prompted an inquiry that revealed that the former had kept highly classified documents on his personal laptop computer in contravention of information security regulations. The revelations forced Harpaz to leave his position with MI.
In wake of that affair, commanders of one of the units requested that Harpaz be allowed to continue working with them, but the request was denied.
Authorities now want to know which officers authorized the renewed ties and whether they had personal interests in doing so.
Concurrent with the MI and state comptroller's investigations, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and officials with the State Attorney's Office are formulating their conclusions following the release of police recommendations against Harpaz pertaining to the Galant document.
http://bit.ly/bDW8JS 7 sep 2011, 16:23 , Respect -
Maria 7 dec 2011
Former IDF chief candidate denies vow to support Barak on Iran strike
In meeting with State Comptroller, Maj. Gen. (res.) responds to claims that the Defense Minister backed his candidacy over his views on a possible military actions against Iran's nuclear facilities.
Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant (res.), who failed in his bid this year to become the Israel Defense Forces' next chief of staff, said that while he was a candidate for that job he was never asked his views on a potential Israeli attack on Iran.
Galant told this to employees of State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, who are investigating the so-called Harpaz affair involving allegations that Lt. Col. (res. ) Boaz Harpaz forged a document in a bid to improve Galant's chances of being chosen chief of staff.
Sources who have spoken to Galant recently have gotten the impression that he holds moderate views on a potential attack on Iran. Contrary to the general impression, Galant apparently does not support military action against the Islamic Republic at the this time. Israel and many of its allies suspect that Iran is close to achieving a military nuclear capability.
Galant's candidacy for chief of staff was scuttled amid allegations that he improperly used public land near his home.
Galant was nominated in August last year to succeed Gabi Ashkenazi as the top IDF officer six months later. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak withdrew the nomination in February this year, about 10 days before Galant was to take office.
This followed a report by the state comptroller on the controversy surrounding the use of land around Galant's home at Moshav Amikam near Zichron Yaakov. Instead, Gen. Benny Gantz succeeded Ashkenazi.
Galant was interviewed by Barak during the chief-of-staff selection process and in the summer of 2009, when Galant was a candidate to become deputy chief of staff.
Recently Galant gave testimony to the state comptroller in the Harpaz affair and dismissed as nonsense allegations that he and Barak had agreed to a common position favoring an attack on Iran in the future. Barak also told Lindenstrauss that the issue never came up for discussion with Galant.
Galant said the Iranian issue was simply never raised during the selection process for deputy chief of staff or chief of staff, and that his position on the matter was never discussed. Galant was GOC Southern Command until October last year, but he was not a party to discussions by the top brass on the Iranian issue.
The sources who have spoken to Galant say that if former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, who has publicly opposed an attack on Iran at this time, is at one end of the spectrum, and Barak, who is considered the leading proponent to leave the option on the table, is at the other, then Galant may be closer to Dagan.
Galant's testimony in this regard also has a bearing on the Harpaz affair and the bad blood between Barak and Ashkenazi. Harpaz, who was a close associate of Ashkenazi, admitted to police investigators that he had forged the document designed to sully the reputation of Galant's two competitors.
Police also discovered hundreds of text messages between Harpaz and Ashkenazi's wife, Ronit, although a lie-detector test confirmed Ronit Ashkenazi's contention that she had not been a party to the forgery.
Amid questions over Ashkenazi's conduct in the Harpaz affair, his associates say Barak's hostility toward Ashkenazi led to efforts to replace him. This included opposition to extending Ashkenazi's term as chief of staff for a fifth year, purportedly due to the Iranian issue. Barak's goal, according to this contention, was to replace the moderate Ashkenazi with an allegedly more hawkish chief of staff, Galant.
Ashkenazi's associates say he made a mistake in not confronting Barak and Galant with the Harpaz document, which at that point was not known to be a forgery and allegedly presented a plan to assure Galant's appointment as chief of staff at the expense of two other candidates, including Gantz.
As far as is known, Lindenstrauss and his staff are not inclined to accept the view that the confrontation between Barak and Ashkenazi stemmed from a disagreement over Iran policy.
The comptroller is expected to say in a draft report that the poor relations between the two involved personal hostility that developed in 2009 after the IDF's Gaza offensive and over the appointment of a deputy chief of staff. Contrary to some media reports, the Iranian issue will not play a major role in the comptroller's report on the Harpaz case.
Apparently Lindenstrauss is more interested in whether, as Barak contends, Ashkenazi waged a campaign against the defense minister to whom he reported. The current expectation is that although Lindenstrauss will take Barak to task for certain conduct, the person who will suffer the most from the report is Ashkenazi.
Gantz and Galant are not expected to be hurt by the findings, and it is not yet clear how the third chief-of-staff candidate, former GOC Northern Command Gadi Eizenkot, will come off in the report.
Although the draft report has been repeatedly delayed, apparently as additional testimonies poured in, the document is now expected to be finished by the end of this month. The comptroller's office would typically circulate the draft to people involved in the case who may be damaged by the allegations so they can respond before a final version is issued.
But because of the highly charged nature of the case and the heavy media coverage, there is a risk recipients of the draft will leak certain findings. So the people receiving the draft might only be provided the parts that discuss their own conduct.
In any case, the report is expected to be made public by around the end of February.
http://fwd4.me/0uq2 8 sep 2011, 12:45 , Respect -
Maria 8 dec 2011
Watchdog has enough evidence to wrap up report on Harpaz
State Comptroller's Office investigating document that Lt. Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaadmitted to forging in effort to steer last year's selection of new IDF chief of staff away from Yoav Galant, then GOC Southern Command.
The State Comptroller's Office has enough evidence to wrap up its report on the so-called Harpaz affair, an official in the office said yesterday.
The comptroller is investigating a document that Lt. Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz later admitted to forging in an apparent effort to steer last year's selection of a new Israel Defense Forces chief of staff away from Yoav Galant, then GOC Southern Command.
The comment by Boaz Aner, deputy director general of the comptroller's office, follows yesterday's Haaretz report on something Galant told the comptroller: that during the period when he was the leading candidate for chief of staff, Defense Minister Ehud Barak never asked his views on whether Israel should attack Iran's nuclear program. Sources who spoke to Galant recently got the impression that he is not a hawk on attacking Iran.
Aner told Army Radio yesterday that the State Comptroller's Office has amassed sufficient evidence and would issue a draft report on the Harpaz case "reasonably" soon. In a related development, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said on Tuesday that he would lift an order barring Harpaz from leaving the country.
Galant's candidacy was ultimately scuttled by allegations that he improperly used public land near his home, and the job went to Benny Gantz.
http://fwd4.me/0uq1 9 sep 2011, 10:39 , Respect -
Maria 11 jan 2011
High Court blasts state attorneys over handling of Galant appointment
Government has changed its story since the last hearing, justices charge.
By Tomer Zarchin
The High Court of Justice lambasted government attorneys yesterday over their response to a petition against Yoav Galant's appointment as the next Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, saying they had changed their story since a previous hearing on this issue.
The court will announce its decision on the case, which revolves around the appropriation of state lands in Galant's hometown of Moshav Amikam, at a later date.
Justice Esther Hayut criticized the fact that in response to a previous High Court petition on the matter, state attorneys had claimed it was not only Galant who obtained land, but other families on the moshav as well. But at yesterday's hearing, the attorneys said only the Galant family had received 35 dunams of land from the Israel Lands Administration.
Justices Hayut, Uzi Vogelman and Isaac Amit also implicitly criticized government attorneys for terming the issue of Galant's takeover of state lands a mere "planning issue" - in other words, a technical matter.
The justices posed tough questions to government attorney Eynav Golomb. Among other things, they wondered why the planning error that formed part of the state's explanation for allocating the land to Galant had not been corrected since early 2008.
The justices were also unhappy with the timetable proposed by the government for correcting the flaws found in the land allocation.
"We had expected to receive a clearer answer on this matter," Hayut said. "We had expected that this matter would be resolved."
The petition, filed by environmentalists, argued that Galant took over lands to which he was not entitled and appropriated a path that was meant for pedestrians in order to make an access road to his home. They also accused Galant of working agricultural lands beyond those to which he was entitled and using public spaces to make a garden.
Panel approved appointment
A committee that vets the appointments of senior civil servants, headed by retired Justice Jacob Turkel, had concluded that there was nothing in Galant's use of these lands that would prevent his appointment.
The State Prosecutor's Office argued that this finding justified rejecting the petition. It also argued that there was no legal justification for intervening in either the committee's recommendations or the cabinet's subsequent decision to approve the appointment.
The petition took issue with both the Turkel Committee's conclusion and the state's argument that there were no grounds for intervention.
Nadav Appelbaum, representing the petitioners, argued that there were a series of flaws in the committee's work, with the most important being its failure to consider whether Galant's behavior in the matter of the lands accorded with the conduct expected of the holder of a senior position like the chief of staff.
http://bit.ly/eou08v 11 sep 2011, 14:33 , Respect -
Maria 17 jan 2011
New info on Galant land affair may delay appointment
State Prosecutor's Office tells High Court new findings regarding real estate affairs may delay Galant's appointment as new IDF chief of staff.
Will the High Court of Justice delay the appointment of Yoav Galant as the new IDF chief of staff? The State Prosecutor's Office announced to the High Court on Monday that information received by the State Comptroller's Office regarding Maj.-Gen.Galant's land dealings contains new data that were unknown to the state when it opposed a High Court petition by the Green Party against appointing Galant next chief of staff.
A week ago the justices instructed Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to specify what steps have been taken regarding the 350 square meters of public land(.086 acres) that were added to Galant's property at his home in Amikam. The court also demanded a specific schedule listing exactly when this issue will be taken care of.
A letter signed by State's representative, Attorney Einat Golomb, said that following previous discussions on the case, the State Comptroller's Office announced it has received new information regarding the land affair, which it is willing to pass on if asked to do so.
Galant's home at Amikam
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss did in fact pass along his findings on Sunday to the State Prosecutor's Office, according to the letter. "The investigation has yet to be completed. There is supposedly new data regarding the issue which were not known to those involved, including the State Prosecutor's Office and the attorney general," is said.
In light of this development, Attorney General Weinstein has requested that Lindenstrauss complete the investigation as quickly as possible.
The State Prosecutor's Office also said that Weinstein has requested to submit to the court an update regarding the investigation by February 1, prior to Galant's appointment as the new IDF chief of staff.
Judicial officials estimate the development will delay the appointment.
The Green Party charged that Galant had built a private parking lot and two access roads to it on public land, had extended his homestead plot by 350 square meters, had received an allotment of 35 dunams of agricultural land from the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) when none of the other "late-comers" to the moshav had received any land, and that he had unilaterally taken over an adjacent plot which did not belong to him, and had extended his private garden by "annexing" nearby public land.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4015116,00.html 13 sep 2011, 17:45 , Respect -
Maria 19 jan 2011
High Court: Galant appointment not delayed, for now
The Green Movement's petition to stall new IDF chief of staff's appointment over land affair rejected by High Court. Petitioners: New findings will implicate him. Galant supporters: Evil gossip.
The High Court of Justice rejected on Wednesday a Green Movement petition to issue an interim order against Yoav Galant's appointment as the new IDF chief of staff.
The Green Movement filed the motion in regards to the land affairs involving claims against Galant for illegally annexing land near his home.
They are now demanding that the High Court order the Turkel Committee, in charge of authorizing public service appointments, to discuss his appointment once more. They claimed his appointment was "extremely unreasonable" given the oversight of the land affairs.
Current IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi was scheduled to retire from the army on February 14 and pass the torch to newly appointed Galant. Meanwhile, the land affair is clouding the rotation.
Galant's home at Amikam
Galant is expected to arrive at State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss's office next week for a hearing. February 1 is the last day the State Prosecutor's Office will be allowed to submit any findings regarding the affair, and by February 6 Galant and the petitioners are expected to hand in their responses to the findings.
The Green Party claims that Galant had built a private parking lot and two access roads on public land, had extended his homestead plot by 350 square meters, had received an allotment of 35 dunams of agricultural land from the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) when none of the other "late-comers" to the moshav had received any land, and that he had unilaterally taken over an adjacent plot which did not belong to him, and had extended his private garden by "annexing" nearby public land.
A week ago the court instructed Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to specify what steps have been taken regarding the 350 square meters of public land (.086 acres) that were added to Galant's property at his home in Amikam. The court also demanded a specific schedule listing exactly when this issue will be taken care of.
Methodical Annexing or Evil Gossip?
A neighbors' quarrel? Near Galant's home
"I see things very differently than how they appear in the media," Galant's neighbor in Amikam, Shoshi Gabizon told Ynet on Wednesday. "Yoav has always maintained a stately demeanor. Now this evidence, which is gossip, pops up again. The court will deal with the facts. He didn't enlarge his house but only planted trees in open spaces, just like the rest of the residents. This is a neighbors' quarrel, it's evil gossip backed up by people of interest. Someone is pushing this issue."
"Galant has been taking over land that isn't his for years," said the Green Movement's attorney Nadav Applebaum. "He approached the ILA and was given land in a process that doesn't exist. In the beginning, Galant annexed half a hill. Later he annexed the entire hill. He vacated the land only when the High Court discussion began, and I'm guessing it wasn't done incidentally."
Applebaum added that there is another real estate affair pertaining to the Amikam home. "He illegally built himself a parking lot, and a criminal case was opened against him on counts of dispossession, during which he was ordered to vacate the premises. Eventually a compromise was reached and he was supposed to clear the area, but he didn't."
Applebaum claimed that the land in question which was annexed to Galant's backyard is about 650 square feet (0.161 acres). "His land is undefined and he extended his open yard into open public property. Galant filed a request to extend his land, but it wasn't approved and he still did his thing."
In response to the High Court's decision to reject an interim order against Galant, Applebaum said: "The court is probably waiting for the State Comptroller's findings. We believe these findings will indicate that Galant cannot be appointed the new IDF chief of staff. We are sure the court will make the right decision."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4016008,00.html 14 sep 2011, 14:42 , Respect -
Maria 20 jan 2011
Officer says Galant needed an escape route from home
The move is highly unusual, as no similar opinion is known to have been issued for any other officer in recent years. All other generals, including outgoing Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, make do with a single route.
A witness in the Yoav Galant land affair wrote an opinion stating that the major general, the Israel Defense Forces' incoming chief of staff, needed another escape route from his home.
Galant has been accused of acquiring land on his moshav inappropriately.
The witness called to testify to the state comptroller is Col. Arik Elazar, former head of the General Staff unit that provides security for senior officers.
Elazar, who at the time of his command of the security unit was still a lieutenant colonel, said in his opinion that if an attack was launched, Galant needed another route of escape.
The move is highly unusual, as no similar opinion is known to have been issued for any other officer in recent years. All other generals, including outgoing Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, make do with a single route.
The opinion was only sent to the planning authorities after the extra road was built. According to Improvement of Government Services Minister Michael Eitan, Elazar sent his opinion in a letter directly to the planning authorities and through the infrastructure division of the General Staff planning department, as specified by the current regulations.
Elazar spent most of his military service in the special forces, playing senior roles in the Duvdevan special forces unit. Three years ago, Elazar was promoted to colonel and appointed head of the airborne and special training center, an umbrella unit of training centers like the counterterrorism school, the Oketz canine unit and the paratrooper school.
Sources in the General Staff said yesterday Galant played a key behind-the-scenes role in Elazar's promotion. Galant denies these claims. Elazar was also mentioned as a candidate to become military attache in one of Israel's embassies abroad, but failed to win the post.
http://bit.ly/ffLP5M
New IDF chief hits back at allegations of land grab
Incoming IDF chief Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant faces questions over his alleged use of public lands adjacent to his home at Moshav Amikam; he is expected to tell state comptroller he did not lie to authorities about issue.
Lawyers for Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant, tapped as the next Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, are expected to submit their response on Thursday to questions posed by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss regarding the controversy surrounding Galant's alleged use of public lands adjacent to his home at Moshav Amikam.
Galant will attend a hearing on the matter next week at the state comptroller's office, where he is expected to say that he did not lie to government authorities about the land issue.
Galant's version of events is that it is possible that there were factual errors in some of his responses, whereas with respect to other assertions, he is in disagreement with Lindenstrauss.
On Monday, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein informed the High Court of Justice that the comptroller had recently come into possession of new evidence on the issue. Weinstein asked that a hearing on a petition filed by the Green Movement against Galant be deferred until February 1. On Wednesday, the high court turned down the Green Movement's request for an interim injunction until facts are clarified against Galant's appointment as chief of staff.
Galant's responses to a draft report by the comptroller on the Amikam land controversy will apparently focus on the following issues: claims regarding misleading statements he allegedly made, the possibility that Israel Land Administration employees were involved in improperly transferring land to him, and a statement by the commander of the personal security unit of the General Staff saying that Galant needed the path that he used without approval as an escape route in the event of an attempted attack. The unit's former commander, Col. Arik Elazar, provided testimony on the matter to the comptroller.
Galant said he is convinced no serious evidence will surface against him and that his appointment as chief of staff will proceed as planned.
If the comptroller's report does contain severe criticism of the army chief designate's conduct in the case, Galant's appointment may be the subject of additional discussion by the committee that screens senior appointments or even by the cabinet itself.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday said that he had full confidence in Galant, adding that Galant would take office as IDF chief of staff on schedule on February 14. He added that he expected the judicial system would conclude its investigation as quickly as possible.
Galant's wife, Claudine, said in a radio interview on Wednesday that she was convinced the truth would come out, saying that her husband received only what was due him by law "and even less than that." Amikam resident Pnina Dahan, a close friend of the family's, said Yoav Galant was the victim of a "character assassination."
Friends of Galant said a small group of the moshav's residents who are at odds with the major general have fed misleading information to the state comptroller, and that his innocence will be proven at the hearing with Lindenstrauss.
The current IDF chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, is not interested in remaining beyond the February 14 date on which Galant has been scheduled to take over, if an investigation of the land controversy requires a delay in his taking office. On the other hand, there are legal obstacles to appointing an acting chief of staff if there is an intervening period between Ashkenazi's departure and Galant's taking office.
At a farewell visit on Wednesday with the Israel Navy, Ashkenazi said he is departing "with a sense that there is someone to depend upon." He refused to comment on the land affair.
The Turkel committee on senior government appointments issued a statement on Wednesday in reaction to the criticism that it had not delved into the land issue when it approved Galant's appointment. The statement said the panel is not an investigative committee and does not have the necessary tools to conduct an investigation. "The committee is authorized to give its opinion only based on the material submitted to it," the statement said.
http://bit.ly/gDONIc
Galant confident; 'I will be chief of staff'
Legal element familiar with details of land affair says new findings indicate problematic conduct on part of designated IDF Chief of Staff Yoav Galant, who is expected to hand in response to State Comptroller's report.
The land affair involving Major-General Yoav Galant refuses to die down, despite the fact that the High Court of Justice announced his appointment as IDF chief of staff will not be delayed for the time being and after Defense Minister Ehud Barak expressed his support.
"Galant doesn't come off well from this whole thing," one legal source familiar with the affair said Wednesday. Meanwhile Galant himself remains confident. "I will be chief of staff," he said.
Having received the State Comptroller's draft report on the land affair, the designated IDF chief is slated to submit a response by Thursday evening. Sources close to Galant said he is able to answer for all of the issues raised and feels confident. On Sunday, Galant is scheduled to face the comptroller and his team and answer further questions.
Galant's associates said that anyone who has spoken to him is convinced the truth will come out. "There is only one truth, just as there was in the fake document affair. The truth will come out in this case too and I shall be appointed the next chief of staff," Galant said.
It appears Galant is fully aware there is was coincidence in the current interest over him pointing to the existence of an element working behind the scene working to fan the flames.
He stressed he has no interest in settling scores. "I have never lied, that is not my way. There are no lies in this case, there may be things that need to be clarified and that is what I'll do," he said.
"Galant is confident he will emerge unscathed from this affair. Let no one think differently %u2013 he will be chief of staff," a source close to him said.
Recently, the State Comptroller's Office provided the State Prosecutor's Office with new details regarding Galant's conduct in relation to the land affair suggesting he "annexed" 350 square meters to his property.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4016409,00.html 15 sep 2011, 16:17 , Respect -
Maria 21 jan 2011
Galant confident in run-up to hearing by state comptroller
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss will hold a hearing on Sunday on incoming Chief of Staff Yoav Galant's alleged improper use of public land next to his home on Moshav Amikam. Galant, for his part, is confident he can answer the questions posed.
Yesterday, Galant's attorney Dori Klagsbald relayed in writing the major general's responses to questions by the State Comptroller's Office.
Galant denies that he lied in the affair and insists that the Israel Lands Administration did nothing deliberately to benefit him. Galant attributes contradictory accounts in the matter to inaccuracies in land registrations and other disputes.
Galant and his attorneys say they are confident about their replies to the state comptroller's claims. They consider unreasonable certain allegations in the comptroller's draft report.
As far as is known, the report does not contain proof about a deliberate maneuver by Galant and ILA officials to allow him improper benefits.
According to Galant, he bought the plot of land in question in 1992, when he was a lieutenant colonel. He says this undermines allegations suggesting that he received irregular benefits because of his status as a very senior officer in the Israel Defense Forces.
Galant says other residents received agricultural plots for cultivation before the ILA changed its land-allocation policy. Galant received 35 dunams, on which he planted olive trees.
Galant and his lawyers attribute conflicting descriptions of events to bureaucratic confusion on moshavim for many years. They say that for every map or document that presents a particular picture of a land holding, other maps and documents convey different facts about the same property.
After Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein receives the state comptroller's findings, he is due on February 1 to respond to a petition by the so-called Green Movement objecting to Galant's becoming chief of staff. The Green Movement will give its own response to the High Court of Justice on February 6, just eight days before the planned date for the start of Galant's term.
The extent to which the comptroller's report poses serious questions about the land-holdings affair will determine whether the start of Galant's term is deferred or whether the appointment goes to the government and the committee for appointing senior officials.
In recent days, people close to Galant have loudly objected to what they consider a public campaign against him. The major general and his associates say complaints by Amikam residents have been supplemented by people working behind the scenes in an attempt to scuttle Galant's appointment.
"What the forged document [in a separate affair] was not able to do, they are trying to attain via this land-holdings affair," said a source close to Galant.
On Wednesday, Galant's former comrades in the naval commando unit met for their annual gathering; the meeting turned into a rally for the incoming chief of staff. Brig. Gen. Erez Zuckerman, Galant's neighbor at Amikam, told Haaretz that "Yoav is being unfairly accused. It bothers me that his family is suffering ... because this man is being made out to be a liar and a land-grabber."
http://bit.ly/eQJ3xH 16 sep 2011, 20:35 , Respect -
Maria 26 jan 2011
Ex-officer to be indicted for 'Galant document'
State prosecution to charge Boaz Harpaz with attempting to influence nomination of IDF chief.
Lieutenant-Colonel (res.) Boaz Harpaz is to be indicted on charges of forging documents in an attempt to influence the nomination of the next IDF chief of staff, the State Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday.
Dozens of IDF officials were summoned to testify before the police in the case of the 'Galant document', which describes a smear campaign allegedly ordered by Yoav Galant while he was being considered for the position.
Harpaz, the main suspect in the affair, was released to house arrest in September. In recent weeks a special task force attempted to reach other officials involved in the affair, but there are currently no additional suspects.
Police were surprised to discover how much Harpaz knew about nominations within the military. "He threw out a lot of names at first, including those of politicians unrelated to the document, in order to throw us off the scent," a police official said.
Later Harpaz was presented with evidence that the document was written on his private computer. "I never thought it would go this far," he admitted to interrogators.
But the suspect continues to claim that no one else was involved in the affair.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4019286,00.html 19 sep 2011, 14:31 , Respect -
Maria 27 jan 2011
IDF Chief-Designate Yoav Galant Filed False Affidavit (Hebr.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwQ_Z0cDAFE
According to State Comptroller one instance involved assertions in an affidavit submitted to a Magistrate's Court. The other involved a letter in Galant's handwriting to the Israel Lands Administration.
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss said yesterday IDF chief of staff-designate Yoav Galant twice did not tell the truth in contact with the government regarding the land affair at his home on Moshav Amikam.
One instance involved assertions in an affidavit submitted to a Magistrate's Court. The other involved a letter in Galant's handwriting to the Israel Lands Administration.
Lindenstrauss made the assertions in a summary on the case; Galant allegedly made improper use of land next to his house.
Lindenstrauss also found that Galant had taken over 28 dunams of land that was not his and didn't vacate it for about four years. The state comptroller said Galant had improperly used open public land next to his house that was to be accessible to the public, not for use as a private access road.
Galant, however, is said not to be contemplating withdrawing his nomination as chief of staff.
Close associates characterized the matter as two inaccuracies among thousands of documents describing bureaucratic matters stretching over 18 years since he bought the property in 1992. The sources said Galant derived no financial gain as a result of the inaccuracies.
In the first instance, the comptroller noted that a statement on behalf of Galant and his wife to the Magistrate's Court stated that the couple had sought permission for an expansion before construction. Galant signed an affidavit stating that to the best of his knowledge this was true.
Lindenstrauss said other documents indicated that Galant had made his request after the work was carried out.
In the second instance, Lindenstrauss found that Galant made false assertions in a 2003 letter to the Israel Lands Administration regarding cultivation of olive trees near Galant's home.
The comptroller also noted concerns about suspicions that government authorities had given Galant concessions beyond the letter of the law due to the major general's high position.
http://www.haaretz.com/misc/search-results 25 sep 2011, 12:43 , Respect -
Maria 1 febr 2011
Israel drops Galant for top job
JERUSALEM (AFP) -- Israel on Tuesday scrapped the nomination of Major General Yoav Galant as its next armed forces chief of staff after he was implicated in a land scandal, public television reported Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak took the decision two weeks to the day before Galant -- commander of the 2008-2009 Israeli assault on Gaza -- was due to assume his new post, the television said.
Until a fresh nomination is made within 60 days, deputy chief of staff Major General Yair Naveh will fill in after the incumbent, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, leaves on February 14.
Galant's appointment was thrown into doubt after the state comptroller alleged last month that he had illegally appropriated land adjacent to his villa in northern Israel for a car park and access road.
In a report to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss said the one-time naval commando had failed to tell the truth when questioned about the land.
Galant commanded Operation Cast Lead, the 22-day Israel assault on Hamas-controlled Gaza in which 1,400 Palestinians, more than half of them civilians, and 13 Israelis, including 10 soldiers, were killed.
In recent days, he has defended himself in Israeli news media as the victim of a plot initiated by his rivals.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=356304 28 sep 2011, 11:21 , Respect -
Maria 2 febr 2011
MKs: Barak driven by personal obsession
Barak. 'A joke'
Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee discusses failed appointment of IDF chief of staff, discovers there is no legal definition for 'temporary replacement' for army chief. MK Ben-Eliezer: Defense minister undermining Israel's security. MK Mofaz: Ashkenazi must stay on for now
Defense Minister Ehud Barak was slammed Wednesday by Knesset members from almost all factions at the start of a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting over the way he handled the failed appointment of Major-General Yoav Galant as Israel Defense Forces chief of staff.
"How is it possible that an officer, a major-general in the IDF, who has been serving in the army for 34 years and has given all his life to the State, is being called a mobster and thrown out like the last criminal?" asked Committee Chairman MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima).
During the meeting, the committee members discovered that there is no legal definition for a "temporary replacement" for the IDF chief of staff. In order to Naveh to assume duty, he will have to undergo all legal procedures applying to an IDF chief of staff.
The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is considering summoning Galant next week. Mofaz, a former defense minister and IDF chief himself, turned to Barak and to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said, "Galant must be given the possibility to defend himself.
"I am against the personal persecution campaign being held against Galant and regret the norms of the struggle, which have become part of the murky landscape at the General Staff. Galant's remarks about a field trial still ring in my ears," he added.
Like other committee members, Mofaz harshly criticized the decision to appoint Major-General Yair Naveh as a temporary replacement and called on the government to cancel the appointment and remove "all the components of ego and personal accounts" from the IDF chief selection process.
According to Mofaz, "Undoubtedly, there is no room for a replacement. A decision about the 20th chief of staff must be made now, and current Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi must be allowed to stay on until a new chief of staff is selected."
MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, another former defense minister and until recently Barak's partner at the Labor Party, criticized the defense minister as well. "It's just like him, so I'm not surprised. However, I am surprised that the prime minister accepted what Barak dictated.
"We all see what is happening in Egypt and in other countries. No one knows what will happen there tomorrow. There is a turbulence and increased Islamization, and this decision cannot be disconnected from what is happening in our sphere. The defense minister's decision undermines Israel's security and all because of the personal obsession of a person who decided not to extend Ashkenazi's term due to irrelevant considerations."
Ben-Eliezer said he shared Mofaz's opinion that Galant had suffered injustice. "I regret the fact that because of a system's stupidity as person had to pay a heavy price after serving Israel for 34 years."
'Barak acting like a hooligan'
Mofaz. 'Galant must be given chance to defend himself'
Labor Secretary-General MK Eitan Cabel, joined the condemnations. "What is this? Labor Party primary elections? Is the party's secretary-general being replaced? Barak is acting like a hooligan, and what I am saying here point blank is that political questions must not be involved in this.
"We are talking about a security matter. I don't sleep well at night and I think all of us should not sleep well. There is no balancing power today between the prime minister and defense minister, who adore each other. No one is even talking about Yair Naveh. What is happening here is crazy, it's a joke, and this is one of the most dramatic periods in the region."
MK Robert Ilatov, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu faction, joined the criticism on the way the latter was handled legally.
"What we see here is a war of generals, and we must ask questions about the timing and the state comptroller's inquiry: Why wasn't it checked beforehand? Why is it that the legal systems knew about the law and the problem in the past and left the case to this moment? This is what the comptroller must look into, why did everyone wait for 'the right moment' and didn't look into the matter on time?"
Defense Minister Barak responded to the criticism by recommending that some of the committee members "practice restraint and avoid being swept to incitement."
He said he would be ready to meet with the committee members early next week and "brief them on the developments in the Galant appointment and on the considerations which led to the appointment of Major-General Yair Naveh as acting IDF chief of staff for a short period that won't exceed 60 days."
AG: It wasn't an easy decision
Meanwhile, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said Wednesday morning that he was "at peace" with his recommendations that led to the cancellation of Galant's appointment as IDF chief of staff.
"I haven't spoken to Major-General Galant. It wasn't an easy decision," he told Ynet.
Retired Judge Ya'akov Turkel, chairman of the committee for senior civil service appointments, defended his controversial decision to approve Galant's appointment. "The attorney general did not have reservations about the appointment; on the contrary, if I'm not mistaken, he even wrote that there is no legal obstruction to appoint Galant," Turkel told Israel Radio Wednesday.
"The lesson is that Israeli media is capable of sinking to lows I didn%u2019t know existed. I can only say I think it's a terrible thing that someone who served the country with such dedication in so many posts is ousted due to attacks by the media," he said.
State Prosecutor Moshe Lador addressed the affair as well, saying that "the decision speaks for itself. The attorney general made a decision which was published and speaks for itself. The procedure was conducted in an extensive manner in the past weeks and days. Any such decision requires taking many things into account. There were deliberations, and the attorney general eventually made a decision."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4022740,00.html
Officers: Barak weakening army at critical time
Army officials say decision to appoint interim army chief after cancellation of Galant's appointment 'destabilizes system'.
"Terrible", "concerning" and "problematic" were just some of the words used by IDF officers Tuesday night to describe the cancellation of Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant's appointment as army chief and the decision to nominate his deputy, Major General Yair Naveh, to serve as acting army chief for a maximum term of 60 days, until Defense Minister Ehud Barak appoints a suitable candidate to the position.
"The appointment of an interim army chief destabilizes the system even more," one IDF officer said. "There was the option of extending the current IDF chief's term, so as not to shock the system, but I guess internal feuds were the decisive factor."
Some senior officers criticized the decision to cancel Galant's appointment, while others fear it will lead the "settling of scores" within the General Staff. "This is one of the saddest days in IDF history. It will be difficult to look in the eyes of those who are under our command and say 'everything is alright,'" one officer said.
Galant's estate in Moshav Amikam
The decision to appoint Naveh as interim IDF chief stems from Barak's lack of faith in current IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi. Those who are familiar with the relationship between the two say it reached a boiling point when news of the "Galant document" affair broke out.
"Naveh will find it difficult to make decisions, even with regards to appointments. Two months is a very long time. Operation Cast Lead http://bit.ly/e9pAJV was completed in less time. Many things can happen. It's enough to see the recent developments in our region - in Egypt, Lebanon and other places %u2013 to understand the gravity of this situation," another senior officer said.
Meanwhile, the race for the IDF chief of staff position has officially begun. IDF officials believe the next army chief should be either Benny Gantz or Gadi Eizenkot, the two generals who lost to Galant in the previous round. "They both have a lot of experience, they were candidates and are able to lead the army," one official said.
Galant
Other possible candidates are Moshe Kaplinsky, Avi Mizrahi, Shlomo Yanai and Naveh. The cancellation of Galant's appointment may also lead to changes within the General Staff with regards to its plans and the intention of a number of generals to retire.
On Tuesday Ynet reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Barak canceled Galant's nomination for the position of IDF chief of staff, after he was found by the State Comptroller to have annexed public land to his home.
The decision came after Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein told the High Court of Justice earlier that Galant's nomination holds significant legal difficulties due to the comptroller's findings. Weinstein said he doubted Galant was "ethically" suitable for the role.
Galant told his associates Tuesday night that a "forbidden act" was behind the cancellation of his appointment.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4022672,00.html
Galant loses IDF chief nomination
Barak, Netanyahu accept attorney general's warning that general not 'ethically suitable' for role. Meanwhile Yair Naveh, selected to be acting chief, attacked by leftists for targeted killings he ordered.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak canceled the nomination of General Yoav Galant for the position of IDF chief of staff Tuesday, after he was found by the State Comptroller to have annexed public land to his home.
Major General Yair Naveh, the current deputy chief of staff, has been nominated to serve as acting army chief for a maximum term of 60 days, until Barak appoints a suitable candidate to the position.
The decision came after Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein told the High Court of Justice earlier Tuesday that Galant's nomination holds significant legal difficulties due to the comptroller's findings. Weinstein said he doubted Galant was "ethically" suitable for the role.
"The prime minister and defense minister spoke with General Galant this evening and expressed their appreciation towards him as a commander and fighter who was chosen by his strengths, talents, and achievements to be chief of staff," an official statement said.
"However, in light of the situation after the attorney general's decision and the consequences arising, the prime minister and defense minister have no choice but to cancel the nomination and restart the process of choosing the next chief of staff."
Galant responded to the decision by telling his associates that there had been a conspiracy against him. "They did something intolerable to prevent me from becoming IDF chief," he said, according to sources close to him.
Ynet learned Tuesday that the two leaders have also decided to reverse the process of nomination, with Barak selecting four or five candidates and then handing the responsibility of doing background checks on them to the attorney general before he selects one.
The candidates must be approved by the attorney general before they are interviewed by the defense minister, who will then choose one to go on to receive the approval of the Turkel committee and finally the government.
Leftists: Naveh committed war crimes
Naveh: Great respect for High Court
Leftist organizations immediately spoke up against Yair Naveh after Barak and Netanyahu's annoucement, and Yesh Gvul is expected to file a request with the High Court of Justice for orders against his nomination to the position of acting chief of staff on the basis of war crimes.
The organization is basing its claims on a petition filed with the court two months ago, which says Naveh and other officials ordered illegal targeted killings of terror suspects in the West Bank between 2005-2007, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians.
The petition was based on an article by Uri Blau, a Haaretz journalist who published secret documents leaked from the army by Anat Kam. It claims Naveh committed war crimes by ignoring High Court orders against targeted killings of Palestinians who may also be arrested.
The court is currently debating the petition, which is also backed by Shulamit Aloni and poet Natan Zach. On Monday judges suggested that Naveh explain why he ordered the killings, and in response he sent a letter to the court.
"I have great respect for the High Court, its judges, and its rulings," he wrote. "As an IDF commander, High Court orders are to me indisputable. This is the way I behaved as GOC Central Command and also the way in which I behave today."
Naveh also explained that his decisions were based on analyses made by relevant IDF officials and that they reflect the court's orders.
Ashkenazi won't stay due to feud
Gabi Ashkenazi
On Thursday Barak is scheduled to propose that Naveh be made acting chief for 60 days, the statement added, while a new chief is chosen.
IDF officers were surprised by Barak's decision to nominate Naveh instead of extending Gabi Ashkenazi's term by the aforementioned 60 days. One officer said that while Naveh was a good leader, he had only recently returned to the IDF and would have trouble making decisions.
But Barak said he had demanded that Ashkenazi not remain army chief due to a long-standing feud between the two men, and Netanyahu agreed to this demand.
Earlier, Barak said he was disappointed with Weinstein's decision on Galant, insisting that he was "the best man for the job of commanding the IDF at this time".
"General Galant is a spirited fighter, one of the best commanders the IDF has ever had, and a man to whom many in Israel owe quite a lot," Barak said just hours before canceling Galant's nomination.
After the ousting of Galant, nominees for the IDF's 20th chief include former GOC Southern Command Benny Gantz, GOC Northern Command Gadi Eizenkot, and GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi, who were all in the running before Barak selected Galant. Now, in addition to these three, Barak will also consider Naveh for the role. He has previously served as GOC Central Command.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4022547,00.html 29 oct 2011, 00:33 , Respect -
Maria 3 febr 2011
AG considers criminal probe into 'Galant document' case
Shin Bet, police to check whether evidence against man suspected of trying to influence chief of staff appointment process warrants investigation.
Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has instructed Israel Police and the Shin Bet to check whether there is sufficient evidence to launch a criminal investigation into the 'Galant document', Ynet reported Thursday evening.
Additional details of the case remain under a gag order.
About two weeks ago the State Prosecutor's Office announced that Lt. Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz will be charged with forging a document with the intent to influence the IDF Chief of Staff appointment process.
He was arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport in August and released to house arrest in September. The State Prosecutor's Office is expected to file an indictment in the coming days.
The document purported to show a concerted effort to have Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant appointed army chief . Galant was eventually chosen to succeed current Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, but his appointment was cancelled after it was discovered that he had seized public land near his home in Moshav Amikam.
In a statement issued Thursday evening, the Justice Ministry said AG Weinstein insisted on the Shin Bet's participation in the examination due to the link between the case's criminal and security-related aspects.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023796,00.html
Barak interviews Naveh, Eizenkot, Gantz for IDF chief position
Defense minister interviews Naveh, Eizenkot, Gantz in effort to expedite process of choosing next chief of staff; officers say Barak's claim that Ashkenazi tried to help main suspect in Galant document affair leave country unfounded, meant to create 'false impression' .
Ehud Barak began interviewing candidates for the IDF chief of staff position, Ynet reported Thursday evening.
The defense minister's office said in a statement that he interviewed Deputy IDF chief Major General Yair Naveh, Northern Command chief Major General Gadi Eizenkot and former deputy army chief Major General Benny Gantz for the job. More interviews will possibly take place.
According to the statement, Barak, in coordination with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, intends to speed up the process of choosing the next IDF chief.
On Tuesday Barak decided to appoint Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh as interim IDF chief following the cancelation of Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant's appointment. However, senior ministers have been trying to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to thwart Naveh's appointment.
In response to Barak's decision to appoint General Naveh as temporary chief of staff rather than extend Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi's term by two months, citing "serious ethical, normative, and even professional issues," IDF officials said the defense minister was trying to degrade the current army chief.
"We regret (Barak's) repeated efforts to slander Ashkenazi and the fact that he is taking advantage of the (IDF chief's) decision not to respond to these allegations," an IDF official said Thursday.
Barak has criticized Ashkenazi's conduct after the IDF obtained information according to which Lt. Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz, who is suspected of forging a letter to promote the appointment of Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant as IDF chief, was planning to leave Israel.
'We regret defense minister's conduct.' Ashkenazi (L ) and Barak
Barak's office claimed that Ashkenazi did not assist the efforts to prevent Harpaz from leaving the country, while the IDF said he was not authorized to do so.
"Barak's accusations are unfounded and are only aimed at vilifying Ashkenazi," another army official said. "The allegations are meant to distort the facts and create the false impression that the chief of staff and his office are trying to help Harpaz leave the country."
According to the official, when news of the affair broke out Ashkenazi was in Brussels for a conference of NATO military chiefs and was updated on the developments later.
"Even after Ashkenazi returned, the deputy army chief was put in charge of handling the affair on the IDF's behalf, without the chief of staff's intervention," said the official.
"There is no doubt this is the reason behind the decision not to extend Ashkenazi's term."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023738,00.html
Peres urges IDF commanders to keep silent on Galant affair
During visit to Border Guard anti-terror base, president says 'bickering within defense establishment must stop'.
President Shimon Peres urged "all commanders" to immediately stop commenting in the media on the land affair which led to the cancellation of Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant's appointment as army chief "for the sake of Israel and the IDF."
While visiting a Border Guard base on Thursday, Peres said the "bickering within the defense establishment's higher echelons must cease at once. Particularly now, when everything around us is burning, we must come to our senses. These arguments hurt us all."
Peres, who was accompanied by Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Police chief Dudi Cohen and the commander of the Border Guard, observed a drill simulating a special police unit raid on a building in which "hostages are being held by terrorists."
The president said the special unit was "the best in the world," and told the officers "thanks to you Israel has become the first country in the world that is able to combat the devastating terror with such a high level of success.
"Each and every one of you has saved the lives of hundreds of Israeli families by carrying out secret operations which demanded courage, precision and professionalism," he said.
The officers told the president they would not hesitate to risk their lives in order to release captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023650,00.html
Court slams Naveh but allows nomination
Judges reject petition accusing major-general chosen to serve as interim IDF chief of war crimes.
The High Court of Justice on Wednesday rejected a petition backed by the leftist organization Yesh Gvul as well as left-wing activists Shulamit Aloni and Natan Zach, against the appointment of Major-General Yair Naveh to interim IDF chief.
The petition objected to Naveh's appointment to the position of deputy chief of staff as well, claiming that he committed war crimes when, in the years 2005-2007, he approved targeted killings of Palestinian terror suspects in violation of High Court orders.
"We did not find%u2026 any reason to justify the cancelation of Naveh's nomination," the judges wrote in their decision.
The activists' petition said that if General Yoav Galant, whose nomination to the position of IDF chief had been canceled due to theft of public land, "then certainly suspicions of serious violations of the laws of warfare should be enough to prevent Naveh's nomination".
But despite rejecting the petition, Justices Edna Arbel, Elyakim Rubinstein, and Salim Joubran criticized Naveh for disparaging the High Court in an interview with the press regarding the targeted killings, in which he was quoted as saying, "Who cares about High Court orders?"
"The way in which this was said conveys a wrongful and harsh message to the public regarding the IDF's commitment to court rulings, especially to the public of IDF soldiers," Arbel wrote.
"This public is comprised mainly of young people who look up to their commanders and learn from them not only codes of combat but also integrity and respect. Even if we accept that this was said with a loose choice of words, it would have been better had it remained unsaid."
Justice Joubran also expressed concern that Naveh's quote "may encourage defiance of court orders and can harm public trust in the court system and rule of law".
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023510,00.html 2 nov 2011, 09:49 , Respect -
Maria 4 febr 2011
The corruption of Yoav Gallant and the IDF exposed
If anyone still had a shred of a doubt Gen. Yoav Gallant is unworthy of command, then Brig. Gen. Zvi Fogel removed it yesterday. Fogel, who served as Gallant's Chief of Stall when the latter was the Commanding General of the Southern Command, fondly admitted (Hebrew) http://bit.ly/fli0iO that we, the senior commanders dismissed journalist Kalman Libskind, who exposed the Schloss Galant affair, of his reserve duties.
According to Fogel, Why did he [Libskind] wait for us to tell him go home, and then started whining like a baby or a stricken cat because we sent him away? You can't, see, be a soldier in the Command with the Commanding General, when you're writing he can't be a general. Do you see the double standard?
So, as far as Gallant and his merry band of sycophants, they can use their military authority in order to harm civilians who criticize them, out of a concept saying that the duty of a soldier is to serve the officers. In a normal military, the duty of soldiers is serving the military, not the temporary generalissimo de jour. According to Gallant, soldiers are feudal vassals of the general, and they remain such even as civilians. The army, c'est moi, says General hopefully, soon retired Yoav Gallant.
As has been established (Hebrew), http://bit.ly/gWyCpC Gallant had no problem convincing other officers to lie to the civil authorities. Now we see him as a bully who has no problems abusing power to harm civilians he perceives as enemies. Were the IDF a normal military, Gallant's epaulets would have been taken off because of such abuse of power against an NCO. But then IDF was never an army, just a militia = and it is rapidly turning into a junta.
Omri Burberg
Yediot published today an article about the army's culture of lies. Among the hair raising details (my favorite: a colonel who admits that he routinely writes evaluation reports of subordinates not according to their abilities but rather according to what his commander thinks of them), Yediot buried the lede: turns out there are claims that General Gadi Eisenkott, a chief of staff wannabe, is suspected provided false evidence in the case of retired Brigadier Imad Phares; Eisenkott denies a phone conversation with Phares that two CID investigators say they witnessed. Deliciously, Phares was removed from active service for lying to Eisenkott.
If all these cases would lead to a purification of the IDF, and to the immediate removal of all those generals and colonels who ran the IDF as a private fiefdom, something good may still come of the whole stink.
But it isn't likely to happen: senior officers Eisenkott among them have recently testified on behalf of Colonel Omri Burberg, who ordered his soldier to fire a rubber bullet at a handcuffed, blindfolded Palestinian prisoner, and then tried to put the blame on the soldier.
The senior brass claimed the case did not reflect on Burberg as a commander. He kept his rank; the soldier lost his.
The junta can look after its people; until the Israeli public realizes we're dealing with a junta, little will change.
http://ygurvitz.net/?p=111
'Galant took law into his own hands'
Galant
Attorney General Weinstein states in report obtained by Ynet that discrepancies were found in major general's testimony on his land dealings. 'Galant seized lands against regulations,' he wrote.
Major General Yoav Galant took the law into his own hands, stated Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in his report on Galant's land dealings, which was obtained by Ynet on Thursday.
According to the report, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss's recent inquiry into the Galant land affair found that there were discrepancies in the information that Galant submitted to the authorities.
Weinstein wrote in the report that Galant's claim that he has been working the land that was rented to him by the Israel Land Administration for many years is inaccurate. Weinstein noted that Galant appropriated the land for himself against regulations.
Addressing the allegations that Galant seized an additional 28 duman (roughly 7 acres) of land, Weinstein wrote that Galant's explanation is questionable. He added that Galant's family made illegal use of a pedestrian passageway for over six years, despite repeated requests from the authorities to stop.
Moreover, the inquiry found that a contractor that was hired by Galant planted olive trees on a land that did not belong to him.
'Galant's credibility in question'
Weinstein found troublesome Galant's claim that the access passages to his home were paved in accordance with the instructions of the VIP Protection Unit's commander.
It was determined that Galant's driveway was built on public land and that the general made illegal use of it. The AG said his findings show that Galant obtained the moshav secretary's approval to use the land illegally.
"Galant did not act in accordance with the law, and did not do so even after he was approached by the relevant authorities," Weinstein wrote. "Someone who holds such a senior position in the army and eyes an even more senior post is expected to abide by the law," he wrote.
"The general's behavior Is that of a person who on occasion takes the law into his own hands."
Weinstein asserted that the credibility of the person who is intended for the IDF chief of staff position is of utmost importance.
"The development of events raises real question marks when it comes to Major General Galant's actions," he wrote.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4023817,00.html 13 nov 2011, 11:54 , Respect -
Maria 6 febr 2011
Cabinet cancels Galant appointment, postpones decision on Gantz
Before Tuesday's High Court hearing, government votes to officially cancel Galant's chief of staff appointment, postpones decision on Gantz. Barak says timing of land affair reports 'not random'; Ashkenazi: I'm leaving army in professional hands.
The High Court of Justice hasn't quite shut the door on Yoav Galant, at least until Tuesday's hearing into the appeal the general submitted against the cancellation of his appointment as chief of staff over the land affair, but the government decided not to wait.
During its weekly meeting Sunday, the cabinet officially cancelled Galant's appointment to the post of IDF chief of staff, but it did not vote over the appointment of Benny Gantz as the new designated army chief. A senior IDF officer told Ynet that "Galant is fighting for his life and acting just as he would have in the army: Going all the way."
The formerly designated chief of staff had earlier presented his two-part appeal before the High Court of Justice. He requested that the judges issue an interim order to freeze the appointment process in order to allow the Turkel Committee to reconsider his appointment, which was cancelled over the Moshav Amikam land grab affair.
While Judge Elyakim Rubinstein did reject Galant's appeal for an interim order, he stated that Galant's claims against the cancellation of his appointment should be brought before high court judges, who will convene to discuss the issue on Tuesday.
But even before Tuesday's hearing, the government voted to cancel Galant appointment's. However, it chose to wait for the High Court decision before proceeding with Gantz's appointment.
Galant's decision to present the appeal a short time before the weekly cabinet, meeting which was set to present Gantz's appointment before the ministers, surprised some of senior IDF officers, including those thought to be close friends of Galant's.
Ehud Barak told his fellow ministers that Galant "would have been approved as defense minister," adding that "anyone who thinks that the delay of the land affair upheaval until recent weeks is random and unrelated doesn't know where he is living."
Minister Limor Livnat criticized the media's coverage of the affair, saying "a terrible injustice" was done the general, who she claimed was "skinned alive."
Uzi Landau was the only minister to vote against the cancellation of Galant's appointment.
Following the vote, Minister Moshe Yaalon said, "It feels as though we're on the right track again…I admire Galant, but it seems he failed in matters related to morality and abiding by the law."
One officer, who was among Galant's subordinates during Operation Cast Lead needed only three words in order to describe Galant's qualities: "Daring, persistence and resolve". He explained, "that's what drove him in the military and that is his driving force now – in the courtrooms."
Outgoing Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said Sunday that he was leaving "with a feeling of fulfillment and with the knowledge that Israel's defense is in professional hands". He then added: "I have no doubt that the IDF will continue to focus on the fundamental issues."
IDF gets ready for Gantz
In spite of the lack of an official decision, the IDF has, at least on a symbolic level, begun preparing for Gantz to become Israel's 20th chief of staff. Many voices within the IDF admitted that the system needs stability more than anything else and yet, senior commanders stated that if Galant wasn't appointed chief of staff, he should not be allowed to retire from the UDF when the stain of the land affair hovers over him.
"The complex situation created by recent events means that Galant won't be able to clear his name through the Turkel Committee," explained one commander. "Dozens of media appearances by both Galant and his friends and supporters couldn't remove the dark cloud that hangs over him. This is why it is natural and right for him to come before the Turkel Committee for a second time with all the new paperwork and documents. He needs to allow the committee to say its piece."
The same commander stressed that either way, Galant deserves credit for his many years of service, mostly at the 'tip' of the IDF, which is why he called on those responsible to give Galant a chance to leave the IDF with his head held high. Others stated that they are convinced that Defense Minister Barak still had Galant in his sights for the role of chief of staff.
And yet, they explained that despite the complicated circumstances and Barak's problematic relationship with IDF chief Ashkenazi, whose term in office Barak refused to extend, the process went ahead so quickly that Galant was deprived of his chance to appear before the Turkel Committee.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4024583,00.html
Israel appoints new chief of staff
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has appointed Major General Benny Gantz as the regime's 20th armed forces chief of staff after months of infighting among the high command over the issue.
Barak said he has Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's backing for promoting Gantz, a former deputy chief of staff, to head Israel's military, Israeli media reported.
The decision was taken for "the urgent need at this time to dispel the uncertainties surrounding the appointment of a chief of general staff," Barak said.
The choice of Gantz has to be ratified by the government on Sunday and also by an ethics committee.
Barak's first choice for the post, Major General Yoav Galant, was ruled out by the attorney general and the state comptroller last Tuesday after he was accused of illegally obtaining land around his house on Moshav Amikam.
Galant commanded Israel's 22-day war on the Gaza Strip in December-January 2008, during which at least 1,400 Palestinians, more than half of them civilians were killed and thousands of others were displaced.
Former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Barak were "no longer able to work together," Israeli daily Ha'aretz quoted Netanyahu as saying.
Tension between the two increased amid calls by politicians and public figures to extend Ashkenazi's term as chief of staff beyond his scheduled retirement on February 14 and until the cabinet appoints a suitable successor.
Barak has formerly accused Ashkenazi of ethical and professional flaws.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/163942.html