The High Court of Justice clamped a gag order on publication of testimonies
related to the Harpaz Affair on Thursday amid calls for the police to open a new
investigation into allegations rising from their publication.
The calls
for a new investigation came after parts of Defense Minister Ehud Barak and
former IDF chief of staff Lt-Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi’s testimonies before the
State Comptroller’s Office were leaked to the media.
In one report, Barak
told the comptroller’s office that Ashkenazi threatened a “war” if the defense
minister announced the identity of Ashkenazi’s successor six months before the
end of his term.
“Do you hear what you are saying?” Barak is quoted as
asking Ashkenazi. “You are subordinate to me and therefore there cannot be a war
between us.”
The Harpaz Affair is named for Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz, a
former Military Intelligence officer who allegedly forged a document detailing a
strategy of how to get former OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yoav Galant
appointed chief of staff in place of Ashkenazi.
Barak wanted Galant for
the post, while Ashkenazi was believed to have wanted a fifth year on the job
for himself.
The document was leaked in 2010 to Channel 2 and was later
discovered to have been forged.
While Galant was tapped by the government
as the next chief of staff, he ultimately lost the appointment due to an
unconnected land affair involving his home in Moshav Amikam, near Zichron
Ya’acov.
Galant was quoted as calling Ashkenazi a “scoundrel” in his
testimony. “I served four years under Ashkenazi and he fought against me the
entire time,” Galant reportedly said.
The Ometz anti-corruption watchdog
group sent a letter on Thursday to Attorney- General Yehuda Weinstein demanding
that a police investigation be launched into the affair.
State
Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss is expected to publish the final report into the
affair in the beginning of July.