The Likud Party issued a forceful statement accusing key elements of Israel’s legal establishment of orchestrating a politically motivated campaign aimed at ousting the current right-wing government on Sunday.
In a direct broadside against the State Attorney’s Office, the Attorney-General’s Office, and the police, Likud charged these institutions with conducting an “illegal and targeted witch hunt,” allegedly based on fabricated allegations and selective investigations.
According to the party, the intent is to create an atmosphere of fear and undermine the government’s ability to carry out its elected mandate.
The statement claims that members of what it calls “the Israeli deep state and its operatives” are attempting to intimidate ministers, Knesset members, and senior officials, while “creating a tightening noose around the people surrounding the prime minister.” Likud further argued that these efforts are based on false accusations and nonexistent cases, citing a judge’s description of them as “camels flying in the air.”
Likud alleges that the goal is to “smear” the government and shorten its term “through improper and illegal means,” in sharp contrast to what it says was the treatment of the previous Bennett–Lapid government. No investigations, the party claims, were launched then against sitting ministers or senior officials, whereas probes under the current government have become frequent and widespread.
Among the examples cited by Likud as evidence of institutional bias was the closure of a criminal case involving the son of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who allegedly stole a vest; the repeated postponement of a key spyware oversight committee meeting, which Likud claims is intended to suppress findings from the state comptroller’s report; the halting of the comptroller’s investigation into the events of October 7; and what the party describes as the “scandalous closing of ranks” in a case involving a former military advocate-general and senior legal officials, which, according to Likud, caused serious damage to Israel’s international standing and national security.
Statement timing 'not coincidental'
A senior Likud official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the timing of the statement was not coincidental.
“The timing is simply an accumulation of more and more and more,” the official said.
“Whether it’s everyone around the prime minister, whether it’s suddenly the announcement that they intend to file an indictment against Minister Eli Cohen, yesterday it was reported that they intend to summon Prime Minister Netanyahu for testimony, and more. It’s simply become an exaggeration in the judicial system. It’s already too much.”
The statement concludes with a call for public condemnation of what the party describes as “organized and targeted corruption.” Likud urges Israelis who value the rule of law and democratic institutions to demand accountability and “true and equal justice for every citizen of the state.”