The so-called “Galant Document” is a fake, Channel 1 reported on Monday night, quoting police sources.
In response, police said, “We have no intention of addressing media reports that are not based on facts or on the official press releases of the police.”
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First revealed by Channel 2 news on August 6, the Galant Document purports to show that Arad Communications, a public relations firm, drew up plans to damage the reputations of senior IDF officers in a bid to promote OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant’s candidacy to be the next chief of General Staff.
A Justice Ministry source said on Monday that Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein was briefed on Sunday by police on recent developments in the investigation.
The IDF General Staff convened on Monday in its entirety, for the first time since the Israel Police opened an investigation to determine whether the Galant Document is genuine or a forgery and amid suspicions that senior officers could be involved.
The meeting was reportedly tense but ended without incident. Relations between several members of the General Staff, particularly the candidates for the next chief of General Staff – including Galant, OC Northern Command Maj.- Gen. Gadi Eizenkot and Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj.-Gen. Benny Gantz – are reported to be difficult since the affair erupted a week and a half ago.
Ahead of the meeting, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Avi Benayahu, whose name has been connected to the affair, sent a letter on Sunday to all of the General Staff members in which he denied he was involved.
Earlier on Monday, Channel 2 news asked the Petah Tikva District Court to cancel a court order instructing the station to hand over the document to police on Monday.
On Sunday, a police representative told the court there had been a significant development in the investigation, and that police no longer felt it was essential to receive Channel 2’s copy of the document at this time.
The “development” is widely believed to be a reference to another copy
of the document, which was likely obtained by detectives independently
of Channel 2 News.
Attorneys for Channel 2 said cancelling the court order would serve the
interest of maintaining a balance between the investigation and
safeguarding the anonymity of the news program’s source.
Israel Radio reported on Monday that one of the IDF officers called in
for questioning by police said he had given the document to a man who
leaked it to the media.