The Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG) demanded in a letter on Wednesday a criminal investigation into actions by former justice minister Ayelet Shaked after recordings published by Channel 12 on Tuesday indicated that she agreed to appoint a judge after former Israel Bar Association chair Effi Naveh pressured her to do so for personal benefits.
As part of their respective responsibilities, both Naveh and Shaked were members of the Judicial Appointments Committee, which is responsible for appointing all of Israel’s judges. Haaretz reporter Chaim Levinson published recordings last month of conversations from 2016 between Nave and the judge in question, Eitan Orenstein, in which Orenstein appeared to agree to a number of Naveh’s demands in exchange for an appointment as president of the Tel Aviv District Court. Orenstein eventually received the appointment.
In the new recordings that aired on Tuesday, Shaked said in response to Naveh that Orenstein had “no chance” of receiving the promotion. However, she commented to Naveh “This is the most important thing to you in the world, ah?” and appeared to agree to Naveh’s demand. Naveh is heard explaining in the recordings that his private law firm would benefit if Orenstein is appointed, since Orenstein would then have the power to choose favorable judges to preside over Naveh’s cases.
MQG said in a statement that accompanied its letter, which it addressed to the Attorney-General, Israel Police Commissioner, and the police’s Investigations and Intelligence Division head, that “the conversations that were published yesterday are credible evidence for establishing reasonable suspicion that serious offenses were committed in the field of standards in public life by senior officials in the legal world.”
The MQG added that “in view of the goals of the criminal procedure, it is important to complete the investigative procedures efficiently and quickly, in order to establish the truth and carry out the law with all those involved in the case.”
Shaked said to Channel 12 on Tuesday in response to the report that she had been subject to “pressure from different people over the appointment of president of the Tel Aviv District Court” regarding more than one candidate, but that the decision in the end to appoint Orenstein was made based on “professional considerations only,” and was supported by then-Supreme Court Chief Justice and Judicial Appointments Committee member Miriam Naor.
A history of convictions and accusations
Naveh has a history of problematic conduct. He was convicted and sentenced to a two-month suspended sentence in November for sneaking his partner past customs agents at Ben-Gurion airport in 2018. He had engaged in the subterfuge because he was in the midst of divorce proceedings at the time.
The former Bar president was also accused of promoting judicial candidates in exchange for sexual favors, and resigned over the scandal in 2019. The case was dropped in 2021, as the deputy state attorney believed the case would lose in court.
Naveh ran again to lead the Israel Bar Association in June 2023 but, supported by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, he lost by a landslide, winning just 19% of the vote. HIs defeat was seen at the time as a sign of opposition to Levin’s judicial reforms.
Mike Starr contributed to this report