Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Tuesday instructed Israel Police to launch an investigation into the alleged double voting in Knesset by now Finance Minister Roni Bar-On.

The case pertains to the ‘double voting’ case in Knesset in 2003, when MKs were called upon to vote on an emergency economic plan. The case comes to life once again after new evidence was presented based on a video file discovered in the Knesset archive. It was the investigation following the vote that brought an abrupt end to the political career of MK Yechiel Chazon, who voted twice, his vote and then in the name of Inbal Gavrieli who sat at his side. The new film shows then new Likud MK Roni Bar-On also voting twice, himself and also Gavrieli, before she sat down in her seat.

After learning of the new evidence, Chazon, who was found guilty and sentenced to four months community service, called on the attorney general to launch an investigation against Bar-On.

Chazon has also turned to the Supreme Court, explaining if the evidence available today was presented at the time of his trial, he would not have been found guilty. In addition, the Movement for Quality Government has called on the attorney general to launch an investigation against Bar-On as well.

The Knesset Ethic’s Committee is also calling for a thorough investigation, explaining the new evidence shows that during the vote, MK Yaakov Litzman interrupted with a point of order, which also was omitted from the official protocol.

Litzman is heard on tape telling then Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin that there are MKs who voted in place of some MKs who were not present.

An examination of the new tape and a comparison to old evidence and the Knesset protocol, it appears that Lizman’s point of order was raised after Bar-On voted twice but prior to Chazon’s incident.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)