Korb to return to courtroom for trial of Olmert and Zaken

Deputy J'lem district attorney took a forced leave of absence after 'Yediot Aharonot' published statements he made insulting judges, including Beinisch.

By DAN IZENBERG
korb 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
korb 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Deputy Jerusalem District Attorney Uri Korb will return to Jerusalem District Court after Pessah to take part in the prosecution of former prime minister Ehud Olmert and his close aide, Shula Zaken.
Korb took a forced leave of absence on February 14 after the daily Yediot Aharonot published the transcript of statements he made to a class of graduate law students at Hod Hasharon’s Shaarei Mishpat Law College, in which he harshly insulted judges, including Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch.
According to the transcripts, which Korb did not deny, he called the judges “asses” and criticized the judicial system for “its liberalism and its stupidity and [for] decisions like those of Beinisch who acquits a killer... for some far-fetched excuse, some baseless law which will endanger my children and yours and will prevent us from putting criminals behind bars. When Beinisch looks in the mirror, and she is 65 years old, she will feel like 55 and very beautiful. We are working in a system which, in my opinion, is full of rot and stupidity.”
Following Korb’s suspension for these and other comments, he was investigated by the Civil Service Commission and is due to face a disciplinary court.
In the meantime, the Justice Ministry announced on March 1 that Korb was going back to work at the ministry but would not take part in the hearings themselves. A statement issued by the ministry spokesman at the time said that a committee of senior ministry and Civil Service Commission officials had decided to allow Korb to return to work “in consideration, among other things, of the expression of regret that he made immediately after his remarks were published, verbally and in writing, before all the relevant bodies including the courts.”
In a statement issued Wednesday, the ministry explained its decision toallow Korb to participate in the trial in much the same way.
“The state attorney has taken into consideration Korb’s apology and theregret he expressed immediately after his comments were firstpublished, and the importance of his participation in the trial ofOlmert and Zaken,” the statement said.
Although Jerusalem District Attorney Eli Abarbanel is nominally incharge of the investigation and has examined the trial witnesses upuntil now, Korb appears to be the only prosecutor who is an expert inall the details of the case and is essential to its prosecution.