Former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni testified in Case 2000, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of fraud with Yediot Ahronot publisher Arnon Mozes, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.
In her testimony, Livni stated, "Between the two of us [her and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu], there was maybe one word of the "Israel Hayom Law." Just before the session to pass the law, he called me to his office and informed me that the Knesset had agreed to bring the law to a free vote. As far as I am concerned, this was a complete surprise."
The "Israel Hayom Law," otherwise known by its legal name, the "Law for the Advancement and Protection of Print Journalism in Israel," would make it illegal to distribute a newspaper free of charge if it is a full-sized paper published six days a week. It received the more common name, "The Israel Hayom Law," because Israel Hayom is the only Hebrew daily paper that meets this specific requirement.
"As far as I was aware, Netanyahu was against the proposal of this law, and I assumed that he would propose an appeal even if it did pass," Livni said. "By allowing the law proposal to go to a free vote, he gave it the green light to go to a vote in the Knesset without the Prime Minister being able to intervene."
Livni denies that her firing was related to the "Israel Hayom Law"
Livni discussed the circumstances of her firing from Netanyahu's cabinet, which she claimed was also unrelated to the "Israel Hayom Law."
"I was invited to the Prime Minister's office, we sat for around an hour, and the topic of firing never came up. We traveled to a ceremony at the President's house, and after I left, I received a phone call from him [Netanyahu] saying that I'm fired," she said. "I remember that one of the reasons for this was because I met with Mahmoud Abbas a few times without his permission. I don't recall that the topic of the 'Israel hayom Law' came up once as a reason for my firing."
In 2017, the National Fraud Investigation Unit of the Israel Police began an investigation into claims that Netanyahu was passing this legislation to cripple Israel Hayom in return for favorable coverage in Yediot Ahronot. In November 2019, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit filed an official indictment against Netanyahu for fraud and breach of trust. An additional indictment was filed against Mozes for attempted bribery.