Slippery Slope

Israel’s Supreme Court upheld a state attorney decision to prohibit three suspects from meeting with their lawyer after their arrest. The suspected are accused of setting a Palestinian vehicle on fire in Dahariya village.

The State Attorney concealed from the district court that the phones of five right-wing activists were tapped. The activists were charged with collecting intelligence about the IDF.

(Hebrew)

The Israeli government petitioned the High Court of Justice to reconsider its decision to postpone the evacuation, and dismantling, of five structures built on Palestinian land in the Ulpana neighborhood in the Beit El settlement, originally due to take place on May 1. This despite the government’s previous commitment to dismantle the building and its admission that they are built on private Palestinian land. Following the clarification of the situation, the state attorney says in the appeal, and after taking into consideration the “broad, adverse social implications” that the implementation of the decision could have on building in other areas, “it has been decided to rethink priorities on law enforcement in the area.”

Tel Aviv District Court Judge, Oded Mudrik, criticized the police, the state attorney and the court administration for their handling of classification certificates for classified case materials. The Minister of the Interior issues these certificates upon request from the police or the state attorney, and defense lawyers claim that the lengthy period allowed for issuing certificates prevents them from examining case materials and defending their clients. Judge Mudrik said that he was dissatisfied with the handling of certificates, adding “I cannot understand, and my experience in this matter is substantial, why it should take a month a half to issue a certificate.”

(Hebrew)

The Georgie Beach restaurant in Givat Olga beach operates without permits and enjoys power supplies from the Hadera municipality without paying. The police and state attorney claim that the reason for the lack of action is the fear of the Hadera municipality to impose the law on the owner of the restaurant, Hanni Jarabi, one of the top criminals in the Hadera area.

(Hebrew)

A defendant’s right to receive intelligence information related to his case would be significantly restricted under a bill being promoted by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein. Weinstein, supported by Minister of Justice Yaakov Ne’eman, wants to make it legal to withhold almost any intelligence information related to his case from the defendant.

An internal report prepared by the Military Attorney-General determines that 60% of the lands of the Derech Ha’Avot outpost in the Gush Etzion area of the West Bank are private Palestinian lands.  The land-owners had already petitioned the High Court of Justice in 2002, but the government and State Attorney have refrained from publishing the findings of the report since then, citing various excusesץ

The State Attorney notified the High Court of Justice that it will only complete its handling of the Amona outpost dismantlement in December 31, 2012. The State Attorney’s statement says that demolition of illegal structures in the West Bank has diplomatic implications, and therefore political consideration influence law enforcement in the area.

(Hebrew)

Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court decided to call to the stand an attorney and ask him to explain why no charges were brought against right-wing elements who had inciting materials taken from their possession, after right-wing activist Itamar Ben Gvir claimed that he was the only one indicted.

(Hebrew )

State Attorney’s Office decided to indict the Mayor of Tiberias, Zohar Oved, for conspiracy to commit a crime, hacking computer systems, and violation of privacy.

(Hebrew)