Galant: No contact with PR firm
Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry
Galant slams 'evil conspiracy' against him
Major-General who allegedly received PR document suggesting smear campaign against his opponent in IDF chief of staff race breaks silence for first time since affair was made public, calls claims 'vicious lie'
GOC Southern Command, Major-General Yoav Galant, sent a letter to the IDF chief of staff Sunday inveighing against claims saying that he solicited a smear campaign against Major-General Benny Gantz, his competitor for the post of army chief.
In his letter to Gabi Ashkenazi, Galant calls the claims "a vicious lie", and says there is an "evil conspiracy" against him.
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Galant has so far kept mum on the document, made public by Channel 2 news Friday, which supposedly suggests he can improve his chances at becoming IDF chief of staff by "presenting a negative image" of Gantz.
On Sunday morning, PR consultant Eyal Arad filed a complaint with the Tel Aviv District Police claiming the "Galant document" was forged using his PR office's logo.
"I do not have, nor have I ever had, contact with Eyal Arad's firm," Galant wrote. He added that the document was fabricated in order to harm his chances at achieving the post.
IDF officers associated with Galant sent him a letter Sunday expressing hope that the affair would be concluded in his favor.
Earlier Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein ordered police to investigate the document and verify its authenticity as soon as possible, halting the nomination process until the case had been closed.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ashkenazi have all expressed support for the probe, and Ashkenazi promised the army would cooperate.
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