Prosecutor's Correspondence Reveals: How the Investigation Against Ben-Ari Was Synchronized
Internal correspondence from the State Attorney's Office reveals how the investigation into former MK Michael Ben-Ari was accelerated ahead of the 21st Knesset elections, leading to his disqualification.
Internal and confidential correspondence of the State Attorney's Office, revealed for the first time, shows how the investigation against former Knesset member Michael Ben-Ari was timed and accelerated ahead of the 21st Knesset elections — a move that ultimately led to his disqualification. This followed a prolonged investigation against him for incitement to racism that lasted for many years.
Last month, Judge Ron Solkin sharply criticized the move against Ben-Ari, ruling that the State Attorney's Office pressured the police to collect materials against him. The judge also determined that during the investigation, the prosecutor even dictated interrogation questions to the police investigators instead of letting the investigative body conduct it independently. The State Attorney's Office opposed the transfer of this correspondence, but following the judge's decision, it has now been revealed.
This is what attorney Shlomi Abramzon from the State Attorney's Office wrote to the police investigation division:
"It seems that Ben-Ari intends to run in the upcoming elections. It can be assumed that in light of the elections, the frequency of the suspicious publications and their intensity will increase. Therefore, it is of great importance to reach a decision in his case as quickly as possible."
The correspondence shows that the acceleration of the investigation was directly related to the elections and political motives to disqualify his candidacy. Ben-Ari addressed the revelation: "It turns out that on the eve of the 21st Knesset elections, the State Attorney's Office was pushing the police to look for materials against me. That is the motive, to disqualify me in the elections."
As recalled, Dr. Michael Ben-Ari was unprecedentedly disqualified by the Supreme Court from running in the 2019 elections due to allegations of racism. The lengthy police investigation lasted about six years, and in July 2024, it culminated in a criminal indictment filed against him at the Magistrate's Court in Kfar Saba. Ben-Ari and his supporters reject the accusations and claim political persecution and judicial abuse, emphasizing, especially after the events of October 7, that his words were legitimate security warnings and not racism.
