Members of the Likud party and Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister's son, are at the center of controversy surrounding the issuance of diplomatic passports.
In response, MK Naama Lazimi (Labor Party) has sent a letter to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, urging her to intervene and investigate the matter.
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen recently came under scrutiny after it was revealed that he had ordered passports for influential Likud members and Yair Netanyahu.
Cohen defended the decision, stating that the passports were granted to three heads of authorities who hold positions responsible for international relations. As for Yair, the approval for his passport was reportedly based on security reasons and granted in January.
בשיא המלחמה החליטו גורמים אינטרסנטיים להציף החלטות ישנות על הנפקת דרכונים, ומכיוון שיש הרבה פייק מציע לעשות סדר:מי שאושרו לו דרכונים על פי הנהלים הם: שלושה ראשי רשויות בלבד שבתוקף תפקידם אחראיים על קשרים בינלאומיים. הם מצטרפים לראשי ערים אחרים שאושרו להם דרכונים בתקופות שונות,…
— אלי כהן | Eli Cohen (@elicoh1) December 8, 2023
In her letter to the attorney-general, Lazimi raised questions about Yair's brother, Avner, who does not possess a diplomatic passport despite allegedly having the same security rights.
Lazimi argued that this discrepancy may constitute a violation of the law and called for an investigation into the matter.
The regulations define a diplomatic passport as a document granted by the Foreign Ministry to diplomatic officials and individuals involved in state affairs of a diplomatic nature.
Lazimi stated that the committee responsible for issuing these passports did not convene to discuss the matter, raising suspicions of irregularities and potential violations of the law.
Lazimi emphasized that it is crucial to maintain professional integrity and not compromise the established procedures and laws for the sake of personal connections or loyalty to the government.
She stressed the need to uphold the principles of a democratic country and ensure that the law is followed without ambiguity or favoritism.
The attorney-general will now decide whether to initiate an investigation into the distribution of passports to Likud members and Yair Netanyahu.