MK Atty. Simcha Rothman
MK Atty. Simcha RothmanIsrael National News

Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Member of Knesset Simcha Rothman, commented this evening (Monday) in an interview with Channel 12 News on the committee regarding the use of the Pegasus spyware program by the Israel Police.

Rothman was asked if the investigative committee has the authority to investigate anyone with a warning, including the Attorney General: "The committee can certainly make recommendations for investigation, prosecution, and impeachment like any investigative committee."

After the interview, his office clarified: "MK Rothman said in the interview that every investigative committee has the authority to investigate and make decisions about every person. However, MK Rothman did not refer specifically to the recommendation to prosecute the Attorney General and even emphasized that the espionage incidents happened before the beginning of her term."

"There could be a situation of illegal use of spyware or any other investigative tool," Rothman said. "All the powers regarding the ongoing trial remain, and the committee will not change this either, in the hands of the attorney managing the case or the police prosecution, and of course the court. Therefore, the claims that the very examination and investigation will create a disruption in the Netanyahu trial or any other trial are claims that are false, they are mostly excuses by people who don't want to be examined and investigated."

When asked if the committee could lead to the halting of the investigations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Rothman replied: "I don't think it can lead to that, certainly not the action of the committee. Regardless of the action of the committee, if tomorrow morning the prosecutor's office discovers in any case that a certain detail was obtained illegally, I would like to hope that it will take action to inform the court. I would like to hope that the court will give it the proper and correct weight, and make the decision."

Regarding the discussion in the Supreme Court on the reduction of the reasonability standard, Rothman said: "I really have to say, I look at what is happening in the court and I am really puzzled by the conduct and the unclear rush towards a constitutional crisis. we have been in the middle of an ongoing constitutional crisis for many years, but this will certainly deepen it. In the last six months, they keep telling us: 'You don't listen. You run forward. You are racing'".

When asked about the possibility of the Supreme Court rejecting a basic law for the first time, he replied: "I am not at all ready to discuss the option, which happens in a country where the court says: 'The law does not bind me.' The day when the court, or any other governmental body, says 'I am above the law, the law does not bind me, I look at the law and see only a recommendation', this is a reality of a constitutional crisis, it is a reality of anarchy. We are not dealing with this situation."