PM’s office tried to oust its legal adviser, a witness in Netanyahu’s trial – report
Office director Yossi Shelley said to initially refuse to extend term of Shlomit Barnea Farago, seen as premier’s adversary; backtracks after being told it is akin to firing her
Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office in recent weeks reportedly tried to oust the office’s legal adviser, Shlomit Barnea Farago, who is despised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
To extend her tenure, the signature of the office’s director Yossi Shelley was required, and he refused to sign off on the move, Channel 13 news reported Tuesday evening.
Shelley was then called to a meeting with Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon, who explained that failing to sign was akin to firing Barnea Farago.
Ministry legal advisers can’t be fired without a hearing and justified cause, and the move would be especially problematic in Barnea Farago’s case, since she is a prosecution witness in the ongoing corruption trial against Netanyahu.
Understanding he would be in trouble if he didn’t sign, Shelley then signed off on the tenure extension, according to the report.
The Prime Minister’s Office commented that “the extension of tenures of senior workers is done by the office director in accordance with professional considerations and with good governance rules.”
Barnea Farago, who has served in her post since 2001, in recent years testified to police in several cases relating to Netanyahu and those close to him, including in several of the probes of the prime minister for which he is now standing trial, a fraud indictment against his wife and a graft case against his allies.
A 2019 report claimed Netanyahu had tried to fire Barnea Farago but the move was blocked by then-attorney general Avichai Mandelblit.
In 2021, the Kan public broadcaster reported that Netanyahu had threatened to sue Barnea Farago after media reports about suspicions that state funds were used for renovations at his private home in Caesarea.
Netanyahu lawyer Yossi Cohen had reportedly sent a letter claiming Barnea Farago was out to get the Netanyahus and had previously teamed up with Nir Hefetz — a former senior aide to the prime minister turned state’s witness against him — to do so. The claim apparently referred to transcripts Hefetz was said to have made in which he and Barnea Farago discussed alleged inappropriate uses of public funds by Netanyahu and his wife Sara.
Netanyahu didn’t end up suing Barnea Farago.
The Times of Israel Community.