Lindenstraus joins list of those probing Galant document

State comptroller responds to Barak's request to investigate the document; appoints Maj.-Gen.(res) Yaakov Or to head probe.

By DAN IZENBERG
Micha Lindenstrauss 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski )
Micha Lindenstrauss 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski )
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss on Tuesday officially joined the list of government institutions investigating the “Galant document” and the events leading up to the appointment of Maj.- Gen. Yoav Galant as the next IDF chief of General Staff.
In response to a request by Defense Minister Ehud Barak to investigate the document, Lindenstrauss wrote, “I wish to inform you that following the evidence that we have gathered and now that the police have handed over the investigation file to the state prosecution, I have decided that we will look into the matter.”
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The police have already completed a criminal investigation of the affair and concluded that the “Galant document” was forged by Lt.-Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz. Last week, the police handed the investigation material over to the state prosecution with a recommendation to indict Harpaz.
Meanwhile, in September, Barak appointed a Defense Ministry committee headed by Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brick to investigate the document, which is waiting for a green light from the attorney-general to begin its work.
The “Galant document,” which was printed on the stationary of Eyal Arad’s political consultancy company, purported to include the summary of a meeting aimed at promoting Galant during the race to succeed outgoing Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi. The alleged strategy outlined in the document also called for embarrassing Ashkenazi.
At first, the police believed that Harpaz did not write the forged letter by himself. However, they failed to find any other suspects and decided to indict just him.
In the letter to Barak, Lindenstrauss said his office would investigate:
• All of the activities and occupations of Harpaz in the defense establishment and other spheres such as arms trafficking and purchasing;
• Mutual relations among various figures in the defense establishment and their significance, and all other matters related to the above;
• All the activities in the defense establishment related to the handling of the “Galant document,” including the process of choosing the new chief of General Staff in this context, except for those matters which are under criminal investigation or in judicial procedures.
It is possible that during the investigation, other issues will arise which will be included in the investigation to the extent necessary.
Lindenstrauss added that the investigation will be headed by Maj.-Gen. (res) Yaakov Or, who is in charge of overseeing the defense establishment in the State Comptroller’s Office.
Channel 2 reported on Tuesday night that Barak and Ashkenazi would be summoned by Lindenstrauss for questioning next week.