After Gershon Mesika announced he was going to become a state witness in the Israel Police case probing widespread high government corruption, life has not been easy for him. Being accused of being a ‘malshin’ by many former friends, Mesika is facing a difficult time period.

The case involves a former cabinet minister and deputy minister as well as senior civil servants including director-generals of government agencies and an unusually large number of people affiliated with the Yisrael Beitenu party.

It is now revealed that Mesika, a frum Jew, did not make the decision to become a state witness on his own, but he consulted with his rav, HaGaon HaRav Elyakim Levanon Shlita, who instructed him to become a witness, not only explaining he may but that he must.

In an interview with Channel 2 News, Rav Levanon, Chief Rabbi of the Shomron Regional Council and mora d’asra of Yishuv Elon Moreh and its yeshiva, explains to the new he instructed Mesika to hand over information to police. He explains that once they came to the realization that other suspects in the case broke the law to pocket money, and not to assist mosdos, it become incumbent upon Mesika to assist the state in prosecuting these people.

Rav Levanon explained “Gershon had a moral and halachic dilemma” when he learned he can save himself by turning over others. Rabbi Levanon adds “Gershon is paying a very heavy price in his public life” as he the head of the Shomron Regional Council, with the rav adding “once it was learned people were pocketing money he is compelled to assist police…”

Rav Levanon hints at the fact that Mesika’s testimony will assist the Israel Police Lahav 443 Unit, Israel’s FBI in other cases as well in addition to the so-called ‘Yisrael Beitenu’ investigation.

Rav Levanon expresses his hope that Mesika will return to his post as head of the regional council.

Link to video. http://bcove.me/bbr64e19

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)