A former Israeli Minister of Justice, and currently chairman of the Israeli parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Tzachi Hanegbi, was convicted of perjury by an Israeli court. The prosecution failed to convince the court that Hengbi was guilty of nepotism and cronyism. In a bid to improve his standing in the party, when he was serving as environment minister, he allegedly appointed 50 Likud Central Committee members or their relatives to civil service jobs.
In passing Hanegbi’s sentence the court will have to decide whether this offence of perjury involves moral turpitude. The court’s decision is critical, as moral turpitude would bar Hanegbi from future ministerial posts. Indeed, so worried is Hangebi that he has arranged for an unheard of line of character witnesses. They include Prime Minister Netanyahu, Minister of Defence Barak, Head of the Mossad Dagan, former President Navon, the current Speaker of the Knesset as well as two previous speakers of Israel’s parliament. Hanegbi’s lawyers have also produced letters from a couple of writers, a couple of generals and Israel’s ambassador to the UN. This veritable who’s who is THE club everyone seems to want to belong to.
Let us hope that the court will disregard this unappetising swamp.
keeping my fingers crossed - every country needs independent and tough courts. Do keep us posted about the outcome. That kind of news often slips out of view. Coco
ReplyDeleteI think that you forget to mention the supporting latters that ware presented to the court which ware written by former high court judges. As judges are humans they usually members of the club.
ReplyDeleteplease carry on as a watchdog for moral and criminal affairs. It is sad that clergy and governments are no longer guardians but deeply involved in sex and crime, mainly for the reason to defend their power. Tis, in my opinion, is one of the greatest sins.
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