AG to High Court: ‘Clear public interest’ in wrapping up Netanyahu trial quickly
Gali Baharav-Miara makes remark as she asks court to dismiss petition demanding she rethink Netanyahu’s conflict of interest agreement in light of his handling of the war in Gaza
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara told the High Court of Justice on Tuesday that there was “a clear public interest in wrapping up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial as soon as possible,” as she asked the country’s top court to dismiss a petition demanding she update the premier’s conflict of interest agreement, according to the Haaretz news site.
The corruption trial against the 74-year-old Netanyahu, which began in 2020, just finished hearing prosecution witnesses, with the defense portion set to kick off on December 2 with testimony by the prime minister himself. Proceedings are seen as unlikely to end before 2028-2029, including potential appeals.
The petition Baharav-Miara was responding to is related to the conflict of interest agreement formulated after Netanyahu was indicted. In order to avoid the conflict of interest that could arise when a prime minister stands trial while in office, the agreement forbade him from getting involved in issues regarding law enforcement, courts, other parties involved in his case, certain issues in the Communications Ministry, and legislation that could affect the proceedings against him.
The petition was submitted by 70 people, including relatives of hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza, and requests that Baharav-Miara reexamine the agreement in light of the premier allegedly allowing personal interests to influence his decisions in managing the ongoing war in Gaza.
Baharav-Miara said in her response Tuesday that Netanyahu had the duty to use his power only to further public interests and to avoid any ulterior motives.
“This is also true, of course, about actions and decisions relating to the war,” she said.
She added, however, that she has rejected multiple petitions in the past that called on her to declare Netanyahu in conflict of interest, and that she did not see any reason for the war to require her to update Netanyahu’s instructions.
Following Baharav-Miara’s response, Haaretz reported, the petitioners asked the High Court to rule on whether Netanyahu was in conflict of interest and accused the attorney general of ignoring the laws on the matter.
Netanyahu is on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in a case known as Case 4000, on allegations that he authorized regulatory decisions to benefit a telecommunications tycoon in exchange for more favorable media coverage in a news outlet owned by the businessman.
Netanyahu also faces fraud and breach of trust charges in two other cases. One, Case 2000, concerns allegations Netanyahu tried to obtain positive media coverage in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper in exchange for legislation curtailing its competitor, Israel Hayom. In the other, Case 1000, prosecutors say Netanyahu inappropriately received expensive gifts from billionaire benefactors.
Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing in the cases against him and claims that the charges were fabricated in a witch hunt led by the police and state prosecution.
The trial was stalled briefly after the Israel-Hamas war was sparked on October 7 when Hamas launched an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel, murdering some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Proceedings then resumed a couple of months later.
Baharav-Miara warned Netanyahu multiple times last year that he was in violation of the agreement when he publicly announced that he was involved in advancing Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s judicial overhaul, but she still rejected petitions requesting she tell the prime minister to step aside over it.
