The Tel Aviv District Court on Wednesday heard a Movement for Quality Government (MQG) petition seeking to see the classified document from the Ministry of Defense from 2015, removing Israel’s objections for the sale of a German-built submarine to Egypt. It has been reported in Israel that Israel gave a document to German Chancellor Angela Merkel announcing Israel does not object to the sale of a submarine to the Egyptian Navy.

Why were Israeli objections to such a sale removed?
In December 2018, a request was submitted to the Defense Ministry under the Freedom of Information Act by the MQG asking to see the document mentioned above. The Defense Ministry responded, stating the matter was being probed.

A half year later, the Defense Ministry responded to the MQG, stating the State Prosecutor must approve the move since the document in question is part of the evidence in Case 3000 against PM Binyamin Netanyahu and others. According to the MQG, it has not heard anything on the matter since then.

In July 2019, attorney Tomer Naor of the MQG submitted a request to the court to order the document revealed. This case is now being heard.

The movement feels the document can shed light on the matter and provide answers to some of the questions, including why the sudden change in policy vis-à-vis Egypt and the submarines from Germany; if it refers to regular and/or nuclear submarines; and what exactly was written in the document in question.

PM Netanyahu has maintained the document is classified and cannot be revealed.

An Israel Channel13 News report from August 2019, filed by Raviv Drucker, states that when Michael Ganor was a state witness in Case 3000, PM Netanyahu gave his approval to sell a submarine to Egypt without notifying the heads of the defense establishment, towards receiving a discount on the price of submarines being sold by Germany to the Israel Navy.

In an interview with News12 in March 2019, PM Netanyahu addressed why he opposed the sale of submarines to Egypt while Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi were not informed Israel lifted its objections to the sale to Egypt.

Netanyahu called the report “a blood libel”, stating, “Gantz, Ya’alon and Ashkenazi are plotting, as they are aware, we cannot reveal classified information in a news studio. The matter was checked by the attorney general. If there was wrongdoing, it would have been found”.

The prime minister insists no one was updated with than a small group of close advisors, citing those needing to know were informed, including National Security Advisor Yaakov Meridor. Netanyahu was clear, that Defense Minister Ya’alon did not have to know, adding he too opposed the sale of a submarine by Germany while Morsi was in charge, but he lifted this opposition during the period of el-Sisi.

In conclusion, Netanyahu explained that Egypt was going to receive the submarine in any event, as his approval was not required for Germany to sign on the deal. Netanyahu insists the others simply want to compel him to reveal state secrets, which he has been unwilling to do.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)