From Carl in Jerusalem/Israel Matzov:
http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2010/10/margalit-har-shefis-conviction-to-be.html"Margalit Har Shefi's conviction to be expunged?
Shavua tov, a good week to everyone.
One of the biggest injustices that came out of the Rabin assassination was the conviction of then-19-year old Margalit Har Shefi for allegedly failing to inform the authorities of her friend Yigal Amir's intention to assassinate Yitzchak Rabin. Har Shefi spent six months in jail for that conviction.
Three years ago, Ami Ayalon, who was the chief of the Shin Bet (like the FBI and Secret Service rolled into one) at the time of the assassination) admitted that he had lied under oath at Har Shefi's trial.
Last night, at a campaign rally for his candidacy for the Labor party leadership, Ami Ayalon, who was appointed chief of the General Security Service after Rabin was assassinated, made what would be a shocking admission in any other Western country: He admitted that Margalit Har Shefi was falsely charged and falsely convicted. And that the GSS knew it all along:
Former chief of intelligence (Shabak) Ami Ayalon, now a Knesset Member, revealed Thursday night that Margalit Har-Shefi did not realize that Yigal Amir intended to assassinate Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. She was convicted in 1998 of failing to prevent the murder. In 2001, she began a serving a nine-month prison term, which was terminated by President Moshe Katzav after six months.
Ayalon made the disclosure at a meeting with Labor party supporters in Ashkelon, but he did not explain why he kept silent until now. "Har-Shefi did not know that Yigal Amir wanted to murder the Prime Minister," MK Ayalon said. "I know this from intelligence and was head of the intelligence agency.
"She was part of the crazy reality [at that time]."
How's that for an excuse? 'Part of the crazy reality.'
Now, a movement is afoot to expunge Har Shefi's conviction. And all the usual suspects are opposed.
Among those leading the campaign are MKs Otniel Schneller (Kadima) and Uri Ariel (National Union) as well as Rabbis Yuval Sherlo and Yaakov Meidan.
In a letter to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, the campaigners quoted former Shin Bet officials Carmi Gillon and Ami Ayalon who expressed their belief that Har-Shefi, was not, in fact, aware of Amir's intention to kill Rabin.
Weinstein made the decision to pardon himself from being responsible for the issue due to the fact that he was in touch with Har-Shefi's family in the past, when he was requested to represent her as a lawyer in the private sector.
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni talked with Rabin's daughter, Dalia Rabin, and said that "Rabin's assassination is not just his family's interest, nor is it just his political party's issue but it is interest but of the entire nation."
"Even if years have passed since Rabin's assasination we can't return to tagging it as a matter of right and left. We have paid a heavy price in the past and as a society and we were able to learn the lesson from the murder," Livni continued.
Livni said "It's far beyond matters of the individual, but instead of society as a whole as, and as a former justice minister I oppose involvement of MKs in civil proceedings. I regret the involvment of politicians in this application because it may change the discourse surrounding the political field which should not be there."
Arutz Sheva adds:
State Prosecutor Moshe Lador will apparently handle matter. The attorney general disqualified himself because of contacts he had with Har-Shefi's family when he was in private practice. Har-Shefi served half of her sentence before she was given a pardon by then-president Moshe Katzav.
Peace Now is opposed out of fear that it will eventually lead to Yigal Amir's being released (I'd settle for Amir getting a fair trial with a real lawyer representing him).
"The Right will not succeed in erasing its part in the incitement and violence that led to the assassination of a prime minister in Israel," Oppenheimer said, adding that he would appeal to the High Court of Justice against the request if it is accepted.
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni is opposed as well.
Har Shefi's record ought to be expunged. In light of Ayalon's false testimony, no other result is fair."
Topic: Ami Avalon, Chief of Shin Bet, admits lying under oath at Har Sheifi trial! (Read 796 times)