Retired Judge Weighs In on Shin Bet Probe into Arab Party Leaders
Retired Judge Moshe Gilad discussed the debate over the Shin Bet's potential investigation into Arab party leaders, balancing security needs with the rule of law.
Retired District Judge Moshe Gilad weighed in on the controversy surrounding the Shin Bet's reported intention to investigate leaders of Arab political parties, contrasting the imperatives of national security with the unyielding demands of the rule of law. Speaking in a radio interview, Gilad addressed the friction between the security establishment and legal authorities, including Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Supreme Court Justice and Central Election Committee Chairman Noam Solberg.
"This is the grand debate between the maxim 'when the cannons roar, the Muses are silent' and the principle that precisely when the cannons roar, a state of law makes the Muses and the law heard," Gilad stated. While expressing empathy for the Shin Bet chief—whom he described as a security official tasked with safeguarding the Israeli regime and responding to grave political and democratic offenses—Gilad emphasized the counterweight provided by the attorney general, who champions the supremacy of the law.
The Boundaries of Security Powers
Gilad warned against unchecked security investigations driven solely by the ambitions or discretion of intelligence chiefs, cautioning that such practices risk steering the state toward authoritarian intelligence models. He also pointed to the volatile political climate, noting that intense electoral competition over razor-thin margins often amplifies institutional friction.
Addressing the directive issued by the Central Election Committee chairman, Gilad noted that while the Shin Bet director acted under formal pressure to advance the probe, investigative methods remain strictly bound by statutory law and the attorney general's oversight rather than political expediency.
