Former Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi is to be questioned by police in the ongoing investigation into the so-called Harpaz affair, over the role he may have played in sabotaging the appointment of his successor in 2010.
Ashkenazi's former bureau chief, Col. (res.) Erez Weiner, and former Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Brig. Gen. (res.) Avi Benayahu were taken into custody and interrogated under caution on Wednesday over alleged obstruction of justice, fraud, breach of trust, mishandling of confidential information and conspiracy. Police say Ashkenazi and his wife, Ronit, will be summoned for questioning under caution as well.
The affair revolves around a forged document, allegedly composed by Lt. Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz, a friend of Ashkenazi's, that was made it look as if it was written by an ad man after being commissioned by then-Israel Defense Forces chief of staff candidate Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant. The document, which contained guidelines on bolstering Galant's chances at the top military spot while slinging mud at the other leading candidate, was leaked to the press in 2010. Many top military officials became implicated in the affair, which turned out to be an attempt to derail Galant's appointment. The four-year investigation into who was behind the document and the role Ashkenazi may have had in forging the document -- and in a possible cover-up -- led the police to launch a full-fledged criminal investigation.
According to the Israel Police, Weiner and Benayahu, as members of the armed forces, tried to dig up dirt on other IDF officers and members of the political echelon, while destroying evidence. The police say they mishandled sensitive documents that were classified as "Secret" and "Top Secret." After a search of Benayahu's home on Wednesday, investigators said they found a computer containing classified information, which the retired officer was not allowed to posses.
At his arraignment, Benayahu pleaded for leniency.
"Your Honor, you have a 54-year-old person standing before you, a person who has had a hard time hearing that he is a threat to public safety. For over 20 years the leaders of this state thought I was qualified to serve in very sensitive positions," he said.
"I am standing here because my name was thrown into the mix in this affair; I am caught in the crossfire between the chief of general staff and the Defense Ministry. I never knowingly obstructed justice."
Benayahu lamented that "the game is being played in only one court because on the other side [the defense minister's bureau] everything was destroyed, including the backup information." He nevertheless vowed to cooperate with investigators.
Harpaz was arrested on Tuesday for alleged forgery, obstruction of justice, being an accessory to a crime, invasion of privacy, and conspiracy. He was placed under house arrest.