The Police Internal Investigations Department must investigate Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh over a recent interview that revealed that he gave information to the media on an investigation involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attorney Pinchas Fischler said Sunday.
Fischler filed an official complaint against Alsheikh over an interview the commissioner gave last week to Channel 12's investigative and current affairs program "Uvda" (Fact"), in which it was revealed that he, personally, told interviewer Ilana Dayan that Netanyahu was to be questioned in Case 3,000, an investigation on an alleged conflict of interest with regard to the 2016 procurement of three German submarines.
During the interview, Dayan said, "A month ago you said, on camera, that the prime minister should be questioned in the submarine case. … But you can't make that happen?"
Alsheikh, laughing, answered, "What makes you think I can't do that?"
Dayan said, "Because we set down a month ago and you told me, on camera, that the prime minister should be questioned, will be questioned, in the submarine case."
Alsheikh responded, saying, "Of course. But I'm sure you understand, there are various considerations as to when is the right time to do that."
"For the first time, the commissioner admitted, in public and on camera, that he has allegedly committed a serious offense and leaked, allegedly, information concerning a highly sensitive investigation to the media," Fischler wrote in his complaint.
He further noted that the commissioner's statement lacked authority, as only the attorney general can authorize the questioning of the prime minister, and "Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit has stated that the prime minister is not a suspect in the case."
Fischler underscores the gravity of the offense, especially as "Alsheikh himself has repeatedly warned his subordinates against media leaks, 'or else.' He even threatened to use polygraph tests to find anyone responsible for leaks.
"Now, it seems that the commissioner himself – the one standing at the top of the pyramid and who is supposed to set an example to all his subordinates - leaks information to the media. These intentional and malicious leaks undermine the integrity of the investigation," Fischler wrote.
The Knesset's Internal Affairs Committee is also scheduled to hold a special session over information that came to light in the interview, during which Alsheikh suggested "powerful figures" tried to dig up dirt on the officers involved in the corruption investigations against Netanyahu.
