Published: 4 December 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
IT’S HARD TO UNDERSTAND the considerations driving members of the state prosecutor search committee, who unanimously recommended Amit Aisman for the job on Sunday even though he has skeletons in his closet.
Aisman, the Haifa district prosecutor, previously served as State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan’s deputy for special affairs. He is considered a brilliant jurist, but two offensive comments of a sexual nature led the Civil Service Commission to open an investigation against him.
The investigation ended with a recommendation that the Justice Ministry’s director general hold a disciplinary process for conduct unbecoming a civil servant. She concluded that he had spoken vulgarly, and placed a reprimand in his permanent record.
Despite knowing all this, the search committee decided that out of all the prosecutors in Israel and all the people who had applied for the position, Aisman was the right person at the right time.
“The committee was persuaded that these comments, which were made many years ago, aren’t typical of his work and behaviour and don’t amount to an ethical, normative defect that would prevent him from serving as state prosecutor,” the panel said in a statement. It added that Aisman expressed regret and promised to speak respectfully on the job.
FULL STORY What kind of message is Israel sending to women with its state prosecutor pick? (Haaretz)
Photo: Amit Aisman speaks at Haifa University, 2017 (Haifa University Spokesperson's Office)
