Lead prosecutor in indictment of Netanyahu retires from State Attorney’s Office
Liat Ben-Ari cites ‘heavy burden’ of work and responsibility for her retirement, says no connection to PM’s ongoing trial; previously managed prosecution of former PM Olmert
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
Liat Ben-Ari, a senior prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office who led the effort to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Wednesday night her intention to retire at the end of January.
Ben-Ari, 59, began work for the State Attorney’s Office in 1998 in the financial crimes department of the Tel Aviv District and was appointed a deputy state attorney in 2019.
As well as managing the investigations against Netanyahu, Ben-Ari also managed the investigations against former prime minister Ehud Olmert who was ultimately convicted on charges of fraud, bribery and obstruction of justice.
“I was, and still am, proud to belong to a professional, conscientious, and high-quality organization that is determined to carry out its mission to protect Israeli society out of a commitment to justice and human rights,” Ben-Ari said in her retirement announcement.
She added that her role as Deputy State Attorney for financial crimes since 2019 had involved a “heavy burden” of work and responsibility, which also led her to feel she had accomplished as much as she could.
The senior prosecutor additionally stated, explicitly, that her retirement was not connected to any aspect of the trial proceedings against Netanyahu in court at present. The prime minister is on trial in three cases and denies wrongdoing in all of them.
State Attorney Amit Aisman thanked Ben-Ari for her “exceptional dedication, determination and professionalism,” and for her “significant contribution to the fight against corruption and economic crime in Israel,” adding that she had led “sensitive and complex cases” and had been “a central figure” in the State Attorney’s Office.
Ben-Ari and the Netanyahu charges
Netanyahu began his testimony in court in December and in six sessions had strongly challenged aspects of the indictment in Case 4000 — the most serious of the cases against him, with charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust — leading the judges to question some of the evidence brought by the prosecution.
While Ben-Ari was a leading figure in the State Attorney’s Office in bringing an indictment against Netanyahu, other lawyers in the prosecution have been pleading the case in court of late, and Ben-Ari gave them her full backing.
She said in a statement that cases against Netanyahu were being managed by “an experienced and professional team of prosecutors,” who she said had been involved in the case “throughout the decision-making process and “the management of the case in court.”
Ben-Ari was criticized by Netanyahu and his supporters for her role in bringing the charges against him during the investigative period.
During the investigative stage of the criminal cases against Netanyahu, Ben-Ari advocated for the prime minister to be charged with bribery in all three cases against him.
Ultimately, then-attorney general Avichai Mandelblit only charged Netanyahu with bribery in Case 4000.
During the prime minister’s testimony in court in December, Netanyahu and his defense attorney Amit Hadad sought to undermine the bribery charge specifically. Netanyahu is alleged to have taken a bribe in the form of positive media coverage from the Walla news website, in return for approving regulatory decisions that the prosecution says greatly benefited Walla owner and business tycoon Shaul Elovitch.
Netanyahu and Hadad, however, demonstrated in court that on numerous occasions during the relevant period, Walla’s coverage was extremely hostile to the prime minister, calling into question the likelihood of a conviction on the bribery charge.
Even before Netanyahu’s testimony, the Jerusalem District Court trying the case recommended to the prosecution that it drop the bribery charge, telling the prosecutors a conviction would be difficult.
The cases against Netanyahu
Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases. He faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and Case 2000, and charges of bribery, as well as fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000.
Case 1000 revolves around allegations that Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, received expensive gifts illicitly from Hollywood media mogul Arnon Milchan worth some NIS 700,000, and that Netanyahu violated conflict of interest laws when he provided Milchan with assistance in renewing his long-term US residency visa and sought to help him with tax issues.
In Case 2000, the prime minister is accused of fraud and breach of trust over his alleged attempt to reach a quid pro quo agreement with the publisher of the Yedioth Aharaonot newspaper Arnon (Noni) Mozes, whereby Yedioth would give the prime minister more positive media coverage in exchange for legislation weakening its key rival, the Israel Hayom free sheet.
Case 4000, also known as the Bezeq-Walla case, is the most serious the prime minister faces, in which he is accused of authorizing regulatory decisions that financially benefited Bezeq telecommunications giant shareholder Elovitch by hundreds of millions of shekels. In return, Netanyahu allegedly received favorable media coverage from the Walla news site, which Elovitch also owned.
Netanyahu denies wrongdoing and says the charges were fabricated in a political coup led by the police and state prosecution.
