Rabbi Metzger investigation to be shelved by court

By DAN IZENBERG
The High Court of Justice on Tuesday advised Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz to shelve his report on the criminal investigation of Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger. In the report, Mazuz wrote that there was insufficient evidence to indict Metzger but urged the minister of justice to fire him if he did not resign voluntarily. During a hearing on a petition by Metzger, who is represented by Attorney David Liba'i, to nullify the report, Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch urged Mazuz to publish a substitute report omitting the recommendations he made for sanctions short of a criminal charges and additional allegations against Metzger included in the report that were not investigated by the police. Beinisch described these allegations as "gossip and rumors." The panel of five justices urged the two sides to reach agreement within a week on the contents of the new report.