Court accepts petition to disclose PM's wife's employment information
Petition partially accepted despite objections from Sara Netanyahu, who claims to be victim of persecution; judge stresses she has already made details of her employment public in interviews, thereby justifying divulsion; sources close to PM hail court’s ending of ‘witch hunt.'
The Jerusalem District Court partially accepted Sunday afternoon the petition put forward by journalist Ben Caspit and ordered the Jerusalem municipality to divulge the scope of Sara Netanyahu's employment as a psychologist in several of the city's education institutions.
The court also instructed the municipality to detail the number of hours Mrs. Netanyahu was employed and the time that elapsed between periods she was employed there.
The petition demanded that the municipality reveal details such as the date on which Mrs. Netanyahu's employment commenced there, areas under her responsibility, the identity of her superiors, breaks between employment periods, the precise number of hours she worked and further details pertaining to matters under her responsibility—apart from providing psychology services to educational institutions. Caspit also demanded the detailing of her precise work hours in the two years prior to the request's submission.
The municipality stuck to the position which stated that providing any such information would harm Mrs. Netanyahu's privacy, and has therefore refused to provide it. According to the municipality, divulging some of the requested information may also harm the wellbeing and security of Mrs. Netanyahu and those around her while she carries out her professional duties.
Netanyahu herself has claimed the request should be denied due to the personal rivalry between herself and Caspit, which amounts to "persecution" according to her. The petition's sole goal, she said, was to harm her and her husband, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Judge Arnon Darel, however, rejected the claim of any ulterior motives behind the request.
Judge Darel further ruled the municipality must disclose the details he has approved within 30 days. In addition, Darel decreed the municipality will pay the petitioner's NIS 7,500 legal fees as well as the administrative costs he paid to make the petition.
"The fact the subject of this petition isn't any 'regular' employee like the thousands of the municipality's other employees mustn't be ignored," the judge wrote. "Apart from her job, she's also a well-known public figure.
"While that a person being the spouse of someone in a high-ranking public position, such as prime minister of minister, isn't enough to justify a breach of their right to privacy, in the matter of Mrs. Netanyahu circumstances are different and striking a balance would be partially disclosing information relating to her," the judge said.
"The facts of the case reveal the respondent (Netanyahu) makes her employment as educational psychologist well known in interviews she gives as well as in different publications initiated by either her or the prime minister," Darel explained. "Under these circumstances, where she and the prime minister make public use of her professional employment, there is justification to disclose information pertaining to her employment."
Sources close to the PM: court has put a stop to witch hunt
Sources close to the prime minister and his wife commented on the ruling, saying "We're pleased the court has put an end to the witch hunt and persecution campaign Ben Caspit has been waging against Mrs. Netanyahu for more than 20 years now. In today's verdict the court has rejected most of Caspit's inflammatory and bothersome requests. It would appear even the prime minister's wife has a right to privacy in her professional capacity as children's psychologist."
The source went on to say: "Caspit also 'forgot' to mention Mrs. Netanyahu is suing him for libel after publishing false claims about her dismissal of an elderly gardener at the prime minister's residence. Before his passing, the gardener Menashe Kozokin testified to the fact nothing of the sort ever happened and Mrs. Netanyahu never fired him."
