Office Office-politics on two of the highest national levels is in the news today.
One of the episodes appears to have ended almost as soon as it began, despite efforts in the media to fan the flames. It began yesterday when "senior military figures" were quoted as having criticized the government for not easing restrictions on the Arab population in Judea, Samaria and Gaza - and it was soon learned that these "figures" were none other than IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon. His criticism was seen as directed towards Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, who feel that terrorists would take advantage of the easing of travel restrictions to perpetrate attacks.
Both Mofaz and "sources in the Prime Minister's Office" were said to be fuming at Yaalon. Mofaz and Yaalon met yesterday afternoon for a "clarification discussion," and the episode seems to be over. Prime Minister Sharon, too, sees the affair as having ended.
The second public dispute, involving Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein and State Prosecutor Edna Arbel, has not yet ended. The two have worked closely together on many cases over the past several years, but they strongly disagree regarding what to do with Chief Police Investigator Moshe Mizrachi. Rubenstein issued an opinion this week calling for Mizrachi's firing, stating that there were "grave deficiencies" in Mizrachi's conduction of investigations into political figures.
Specifically, Rubenstein said that he was shocked to see that 70% of the information Mizrachi collected on Transportation Minister Avigdor Lieberman was irrelevant to the investigation against him. He said that Mizrachi had wiretapped Lieberman's political and personal conversations that had nothing to do with the suspicions against him. "Mizrachi acted aside the law, and not within the law," Rubenstein explained yesterday. "The struggle against crime must be carried out within the limits of the law. Who will watch over those who enforce the law? ... This cannot be passed over, or else it will never be corrected."
On the other hand, State Prosecutor Edna Arbel feels that Mizrachi did a good job and should not be fired - and she made this known in a separate opinion she publicized, as well as in many public statements. Rubenstein wrote her a letter yesterday, saying that she "acted against the hierarchy of the State Prosecution," that it is his right to set policy and make decisions of this nature, and that "she had hurt [him] personally." Arbel's position is that it's not a personal issue, and that she "does not plan to conduct a public debate."
Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, who took Rubenstein's position in the Mizrachi case, praised and met with both Rubenstein and Arbel yesterday, and plans to hold a peace-making session with them early next week. Rubenstein announced several months ago that he will retire from his position as Attorney-General in January, and is headed for a Supreme Court judgeship.
One of the episodes appears to have ended almost as soon as it began, despite efforts in the media to fan the flames. It began yesterday when "senior military figures" were quoted as having criticized the government for not easing restrictions on the Arab population in Judea, Samaria and Gaza - and it was soon learned that these "figures" were none other than IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon. His criticism was seen as directed towards Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, who feel that terrorists would take advantage of the easing of travel restrictions to perpetrate attacks.
Both Mofaz and "sources in the Prime Minister's Office" were said to be fuming at Yaalon. Mofaz and Yaalon met yesterday afternoon for a "clarification discussion," and the episode seems to be over. Prime Minister Sharon, too, sees the affair as having ended.
The second public dispute, involving Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein and State Prosecutor Edna Arbel, has not yet ended. The two have worked closely together on many cases over the past several years, but they strongly disagree regarding what to do with Chief Police Investigator Moshe Mizrachi. Rubenstein issued an opinion this week calling for Mizrachi's firing, stating that there were "grave deficiencies" in Mizrachi's conduction of investigations into political figures.
Specifically, Rubenstein said that he was shocked to see that 70% of the information Mizrachi collected on Transportation Minister Avigdor Lieberman was irrelevant to the investigation against him. He said that Mizrachi had wiretapped Lieberman's political and personal conversations that had nothing to do with the suspicions against him. "Mizrachi acted aside the law, and not within the law," Rubenstein explained yesterday. "The struggle against crime must be carried out within the limits of the law. Who will watch over those who enforce the law? ... This cannot be passed over, or else it will never be corrected."
On the other hand, State Prosecutor Edna Arbel feels that Mizrachi did a good job and should not be fired - and she made this known in a separate opinion she publicized, as well as in many public statements. Rubenstein wrote her a letter yesterday, saying that she "acted against the hierarchy of the State Prosecution," that it is his right to set policy and make decisions of this nature, and that "she had hurt [him] personally." Arbel's position is that it's not a personal issue, and that she "does not plan to conduct a public debate."
Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, who took Rubenstein's position in the Mizrachi case, praised and met with both Rubenstein and Arbel yesterday, and plans to hold a peace-making session with them early next week. Rubenstein announced several months ago that he will retire from his position as Attorney-General in January, and is headed for a Supreme Court judgeship.