MK Nachman Shai
(Kadima) asked the Attorney General Saturday to
investigate the "Galant document," which outlines a PR campaign
designed to secure the position of IDF Chief of Staff for Maj. Gen Yoav
Galant. It is unclear whether the document is authentic.
Despite the controversy, Defense Minister Ehud Barak will continue to conduct his planned interviews for the position, meeting tomorrow (Sunday) with Deputy Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, who is under consideration for the role.
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MK Shai said the Chief of Staff appointment "should not be made prematurely
at this point," until the origin of the document could be determined.
"Because of its importance, the police should check the
authenticity of the document."
Strategic communication expert Eyal Arad denied a report on Channel 2
that his office had prepared the document, calling the document a
forgery.
The document, containing
the logo of the company
Arad Communications operated by Eyal Arad and Lior Horev, discussed the
need to create a positive image around Galant and creating negative
images for current chief-of-staff Gabi
Ashkenazi and another potential
Ashkenazi replacement, Maj. Gen. Benny Gantz.
Alternatively, the document presented a possibility of promoting Gantz
through the media as a replacement for Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency)
head Yuval Diskin "and, thus, would be unable to compete for the
chief-of-staff position," Channel 2 reported.
With respect to Ashkenazi, the author of the public relations campaign
advised "developing a profile of a disgruntled [public official]," like
former Likud minister David Levy and as someone who tends to take
offense easily.
Eyal Arad, Arad Communications president and
strategist, denied the Channel 2 report and alleged that the document
was forged. "Anyone could have downloaded the company's logo from the
internet," he said.
According to Arad, no one at his company
prepared the document, and the firm has nothing to do with the ideas
presented in the Channel 2 expose. "I invite investigators to come and
check the company computers to find that this document was never written
here," Arad stated.
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