The little information released for publication about the scandal involving the head of the Israel Bar Association, who is suspected of trading influence on judicial appointments in exchange for sexual favors, has cleared up some of the fog that surrounded the affair, but plenty of questions are still unanswered.
Anyone who has seen the material the police have collected knows that such a quantity could indicate a long line of crimes in a few different fields. The police have a lot of material from various sources that involve the main suspects in the case, and it speaks for itself.
On Tuesday, the police announced that the main suspicion under investigation was "crimes pertaining to the appointment of a magistrate's court judge a few years ago, and an attempt to promote a judge from the magistrate's court to the district court, who was not promoted." Later, there were hints that there could be other aspects to the case that would involve other officials who have a hand in appointing the country's judges.
Aside from the main issue that the affair raises about the method by which judges are appointed and its lack of transparency, the facts released for publication also raise questions about the extent of the scandal itself. Were members of the Judicial Selection Committee, particularly Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked – who formed an alliance with Effi Naveh on the committee – aware of what was going on?
Even if the committee members weren't aware of the full scope of the unacceptable conduct, one question demands an answer: Were judges actually appointed or promoted for reasons other than their professional suitability? If so, how did they get through the committee's screening process? And what does that show us about how the committee conducts itself when evaluating candidates for the judiciary?
The scandal strikes an unbearable blow to public faith in the legal system. Many are wondering whether the judges with whom they had dealings were the ones under suspicion and whether various rulings were handed down by judges involved in corruption cases. These fears are legitimate, and moreover: The Israel Police is now investigating two cases of allegedly corrupt appointments, and the material it currently has could point out additional instances. Under Naveh, close to 300 judges were appointed. If this is what has been discovered, citizens must be asking themselves, who can guarantee that the other appointments were made based on professional criteria?
The evidence in the case could lead to other senior officials in the legal system and ensnare additional officials. Naveh has a wide circle of acquaintances. He owns a large, prominent law firm and is involved in a variety of legal business. He has been a major player in the Israel Bar Association for years and has ties to many lawyers, judges, and public prosecutors. In addition, since he became chairman of the IBA, he has become involved in public politics. Hence the material the police now have could lead to more investigations into each of these circles.
The little revealed on Wednesday could turn out to be just the tip of the iceberg, and the case could become even more problematic and complicated.
