Report reveals concealed recusals and alleged misconduct as AG faces charges of obstructing justice in IDF affair.
A growing legal and political storm is engulfing Israel’s Justice Ministry after a bombshell report revealed that senior figures in Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s office quietly recused themselves from the high-profile Chief Military Advocate General case—while the Attorney General continued to act as if no conflicts of interest existed.
According to reporting by Avishai Grinzaig on i24 News, Attorney Hagai Harosh, the Attorney General’s senior assistant, stepped aside from the case at the outset because the AG’s office was intertwined in several sensitive aspects of the affair—including High Court responses and the investigation into the leaked Sde Teiman video.
Yet when Baharav-Miara later requested a professional opinion from the Justice Ministry’s legal adviser, Adv. Yael Kotik, on whether she had a conflict of interest, she did not disclose that Harosh had already recused himself. Nor did she disclose the separate recusal of Deputy State Attorney Adv. Altman.
Shockingly, the request for Kotik’s review was made only after warning letters and petitions had already reached the High Court, even though the Attorney General had earlier refused to withdraw from the case and insisted the IDF Chief of Staff work directly with her. After receiving Kotik’s opinion, Baharav-Miara reportedly attached an internal memorandum criticizing the professional quality of the document—suggesting attempts to undermine the very review she sought.
During the High Court hearing, the Attorney General’s representative likewise did not inform the justices that key officials had recused themselves—an omission that now raises serious questions about transparency, procedural integrity, and potential manipulation of judicial oversight.
Adding to the controversy, Deputy Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Gal Asael testified that throughout the affair he operated in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office. He stated that he received instructions not directly from the AG but from Adv. Hagai Harosh, whom he understood to be acting on behalf of Baharav-Miara—despite Harosh officially recusing himself.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a blistering response, accusing the Attorney General of deliberate misconduct:
“I said from the beginning—Gali Baharav-Miara is personally, deeply involved in submitting false affidavits to the High Court, in concealing the investigation, and in actively obstructing investigative proceedings.”
He added that no attempted cover-up would prevent her from ultimately facing criminal investigation and trial for what he described as “offenses she committed.”
The unfolding revelations deepen long-standing concerns within Israel’s security and political establishment that certain senior legal officials have acted in ways that obstruct critical IDF-related investigations while enabling narratives exploited by hostile Palestinian and Arab entities. With public trust shaken and political pressure mounting, the crisis appears far from over.
