Prosecution finds charges against ex-general Gal Hirsch baseless
At the same time, the state announced its intent to indict other defendants who were part of the alleged scheme.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBUpdated: OCTOBER 9, 2018 04:47Gal Hirsch(photo credit: FACEBOOK)
The prosecution announced late Sunday that the corruption charges against Brig.-Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch were baseless, and it was closing the case against him.At the same time, the state did announce its intent to indict other defendants who were part of the alleged scheme in question.One of the allegations involved the countries of Georgia and Kazakhstan, which had asked Israel to investigate Hirsch. Companies in those countries were under investigation, and allegedly Hirsch’s company had connections to the foreign companies in question.Another allegation claimed a US FBI investigation also involved Hirsch.Hirsch has been a highly controversial figure in Israel.At times he has been seen as a heroic and forward-thinking general who nearly became Israeli chief of police in 2015.At other times, he has had to clear his reputation for military shortcomings during the Second Lebanon War and his nomination as police chief was derailed by the scandal which was only closed Sunday night.Supporters have said that the scandal was manufactured to prevent him from becoming police chief, while the state has responded that the charges against him were complex and took time to clarify, including obtaining information from foreign countries where he had conducted business.