The Lavie Organization - Civil Rights, Proper Administration and Encouraging Settlement - yesterday (Tuesday) addressed the Legal Advisor to the Government, Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara, demanding that she order the 'Movement for Quality Government' to immediately stop the campaign in personal support of the advisor; to pay the state treasury the value of the campaign, as required by law - and to refrain from handling any legal proceedings in which the movement is involved, due to a material conflict of interest.
The appeal comes following a large-scale advertising campaign run by the Movement for Quality Government, which includes signage on dozens of buses across the country with a portrait of the advisor against a background of Israeli flags - alongside the supporting statement: "You will never walk alone.".
In the letter, the organization claims that this is a significant and unusual benefit, estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of shekels, given to a public employee - contrary to the law.
The Lavi organization reminds us that, according to the Public Service (Gifts) Law, a public employee is not permitted to accept a gift or benefit as a public employee, and that he must hand over gifts received to the state.
The law states that for benefits that do not involve property - such as a media campaign intended to strengthen the advisor's position - the civil servant is required to pay their equivalent to the state treasury.
It was also mentioned that with regard to the Prime Minister, the Rabbi-Miara itself presented a far-reaching position according to which there is a presumption that a benefit received from a public employee is a presumption that it is given while he is a public employee. Hence, according to the Lavi organization, it should not apply a different law to itself.
The Lavi organization emphasized that the advisor and her assistants often respond quickly and publicly to issues on the agenda, in order to strengthen the "rule of law" or "public trust," but for some reason, in the face of providing a benefit to the advisor, in blatant violation of the Gifts Law, their voices are silenced.
The Lavi organization also demands that, after the consultant received an unusual benefit from the Movement for Quality Government, which frequently submits petitions in which the consultant's position is of great importance to the movement, the consultant be prevented from dealing with issues in which the movement has an interest, in light of the serious conflict of interest.
The letter states in this context: "No one in Israel is above the law. The campaign is intended to strengthen your public standing precisely at a time when the question of your continued tenure is being discussed - and therefore you are prevented from dealing with petitions and inquiries from the body that leads it. If you ignore the law - we will turn to the authorized authorities.".
The Lavi organization demands that the advisor take three immediate steps:
1. Order the cessation of the campaign by the Movement for Quality Government.
2. Pay the value of the campaign to the state treasury, in accordance with the law.
3. To refrain from any involvement in the affairs of the movement – including legal proceedings to which it is a party.
The Lavi organization stated: If the attorney general continues to deal with the petitions of the Movement for the Quality of Government, despite the serious conflict of interest in which she finds herself, we will petition the High Court against her.
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