On Monday, for the first time in many years, I was embarrassed to be standing in front of the students in my philosophy of law class. I lectured on the relationship between law and morality, and the students grinned cynically. When a veteran lawyer who is overseeing a complicated investigation involving the prime minister and leading business officials coordinates days in remand with a judge via text message, who agrees to look surprised, what can be said about law and morality?
To make things worse, attorney Eran Shaham-Shavit explained through a representative that his conduct fell within "accepted" parameters. If this is standard practice, we have arrived at a low point for law enforcement.
In many places in the world, citizens have paid a heavy price for their freedom. Now it seems that in the state of the Jews, who were the first to inculcate the concept of freedom in the nations of the world, there are senior members of the legal system who abuse people by revoking their freedom. If the same Israel Securities Authority investigator were to spend a day in prison, he would understand the suffering and the misery of the citizens who are tossed on flea-infested mattresses and not allowed to bathe or enjoy the sun or freedom of movement. Who knows how many men and women have suffered difficult, humiliating detention conditions to serve the interests of police investigators, who want to break suspects by humiliating them and taking away their freedom.
I am doubtful whether the legal system and the left-wing media have understood the real significance of the judge and the investigators' conduct. If true, this would be the serious criminal act of obstruction of justice, which is punishable by up to three years in prison. I suggest that some of the well-known news analysts not dismiss the facts that have come to light. I remember when I was in the army and our battalion commander would often ignore major violations, dealing with them as disciplinary infractions. Anyone who treats the matter of the judge and the ISA investigator as a "disciplinary" matter is either whitewashing things or has failed to understand how serious it is.
As part of the urgent criminal investigation, the cellular devices of the judge and the lawyer must be confiscated and their text message exchanges from the past three months must be reviewed. Conclusions must be drawn as to the exact meaning of the terms they employed. The opportunity will also serve as a chance to clarify whether or not they also texted the media figures, who have filled the airwaves with leaks.
Until there is a serious investigation, the public will not believe that anyone intends to address this major issue and that it is truly an aberration. If this is how top-level officials are treated, who knows what will happen to ordinary citizens? The role of the heads of the legal system, including Supreme Court President Judge Esther Hayut, need to confront this matter speedily and with determination. The future of the public's faith in law enforcement is hanging in the balance. Israel does not have the luxury of glossing over events like this. "Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness" (Isaiah 1:27). Without law and justice, the return to Zion has no future.
