Tali Gottlieb refused to appear for questioning: "I have immunity"

Likud Knesset member Tali Gottlieb refused to appear for questioning over the fact that some time ago revealed the identity of the husband of protest activist Shikma Bresler. Gottlieb argues that she does not have the right to be questioned because she has parliamentary immunity, while Deputy Attorney General Alon Altman argues that the immunity law does not apply to the situation of a criminal investigation, and therefore Lib is obliged to appear for questioning.

“Your refusal to appear for questioning based on the immunity argument has no basis. The Immunity Law does not provide a deputy with an exemption from appearing for questioning in a criminal investigation. When a criminal offense is suspected, law enforcement agencies have the authority to summon the deputy to interrogation,” Altman wrote in a statement to Gottlieb.

He further noted that the decision to investigate her on suspicion of committing a criminal offense was made by professional circles.

He concluded his address with the following words: “The lack of immunity with regard to appearing for questioning has never caused protest. Over the past few years, several deputies and ministers have been questioned, who came for questioning as necessary. The Parliamentary Ethics Commission also insisted on that deputies are required to appear for questioning. Therefore, we ask you to appear for questioning as soon as possible at a time that will be agreed upon with the police.”

Last June, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara ordered police to open a criminal investigation against Gottlieb on suspicion of “disclosing classified information.” This order was given after Gottlieb published a “tweet” on the social network X, in which she revealed the identity of Shikma Bresler’s husband, who is a Shin Bet employee. In her post, Gottlieb voiced a conspiracy theory according to which the Mossad allegedly intercepted a conversation between Bresler’s husband and Hamas leader Ihya Sinwar a few days before the October 7 massacre.

Responding to Altman’s claim, Gottlieb said she had not received any letter from him, but explained: “The first paragraph of the immunity law states in black and white that a Knesset member is exempt from criminal liability for any statement or expression of opinion that he made in the course of carrying out It is clear that I acted within the scope of my official duties, and therefore I cannot be held criminally responsible, and there are no grounds for my interrogation. I know this upsets you. I used immunity to carry out my duties. I will continue to do so. This is my duty, and this is the meaning of immunity.”

According to her, it was the prosecutor’s office that violated public trust by first contacting the press, and only then to it. “I’m holding back from telling you that you are not my order, but I strongly recommend that you climb another tree. Don’t try to intimidate me, you won’t succeed. Say hello to Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet, who was responsible for intelligence gathering in Gaze and whom everyone is protecting, although the blood of the dead is crying out to interrogate him, and with him the head of military intelligence and other senior comrades. Instead, you. left the warrant officer in custodywith whom something could happen at any moment,” Gottlieb said.

Last January, the head of the Shin Bet Ronen Bar sent a harsh letter about the behavior of Tali Gottlieb, accusing her of “publishing complete information about a military personnel and his family and deliberately harming national security.”

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