Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Wednesday met in his office with Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh to request clarifications on a recently leaked secret police document known as the “MKs List,” a.k.a. “The Yitzhaki Report,” detailing evidence on alleged offenses committed by dozens of Knesset members, including seven sitting ministers, which police allegedly keep on a shelf for an opportune time.
Knesset Legal Adviser Eyal Yinon and the head of the police Investigations and Intelligence Branch, Meni Yitzhaki, were also present at the meeting.
On Sunday, Channel 10 revealed the existence of “The Yitzhaki Report” that had allegedly been compiled by order of Yitzhaki and reportedly completed in 2014. According to Channel 10, it contains all investigative information collected by police on the 120 members of the previous Knesset, including information on suspected crimes and corruption.
Alsheikh informed Edelstein that police are forbidden to initiate investigations on public officials without first receiving instructions to do so by the Attorney General or the state attorney. The document, he said, was for internal use to ensure that nothing fell through the cracks during investigations of Knesset members, and that all relevant information was passed on to the Attorney General. Alsheikh said police would investigate who leaked the existence of the document.
Speaker Edelstein accepted the police chief’s explanation, but said that the leaked document casts a cloud over all MKs and creates the public perception that dozens of MKs are suspected of criminal offenses. The Knesset Speaker stressed the importance of releasing — as soon as possible — an official clarification regarding the document and its relevancy, if it has indeed remained relevant.
Such a clarification, Edelstein said, would show the public that Israel Police is doing its job faithfully and is investigating MKs when necessary, and it would also indicate to the lawmakers that they can be certain that police are not holding information against them which could be revealed at some point down the line and hurt their work or chances of obtaining a certain position.