The Bar-On–Hebron affair was a political scandal in Israel following a series of events starting from the appointment of

Roni Bar-On Roni Bar-On (; born 2 June 1948) is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as a member of the Knesset for Likud and Kadima between 2003 and 2011, and is also a former Finance Minister of Israel, Minister of Finance. Biography Bar-On was bo ...

as the

Attorney General of Israel The attorney general of Israel (, ''Ha-Yo'etz Ha-Mishpati La-Memshala'', ) heads the legal system of the executive branch and the public prosecution of the state. The attorney general advises the government in legal matters, represents the stat ...

in January 1997. The appointment evoked great scrutiny from jurists and politicians as Bar-On, a lawyer with no particular experience, was considered unqualified for the position, following which he resigned two days following his appointment. The event culminated when ten days later Channel 1 correspondent

Ayala Hasson Ayala Hasson (; born September 1961) is an Israeli journalist. She is a television and radio presenter at the Israel Broadcasting Corporation. She spent most of her journalistic career at the Israel Broadcasting Authority, where she served as a ...

reported that Bar-On's appointment was part of a conspiracy, namely a secret deal between Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...

and former Minister of Interior Affairs

Aryeh Deri Aryeh Makhlouf Deri (; ), also Arie Deri, Arye Deri, or Arieh Deri (born 17 February 1959), is an Israeli politician and one of the founders of the Shas political party who served as the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Health, and Minister ...

, head of the religious party

Shas Shas () is a Haredi Judaism, Haredi religious List of political parties in Israel, political party in Israel. Founded in 1984 by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a former Israeli Sephardic Jews, Sephardi chief rabbi, who remained its spiritual leader until ...

, who was facing trial on corruption charges and allegedly seeking a favorable plea bargain. According to Hasson, Bar-On's candidacy was proposed to Deri by the Israeli businessman David Appel, believing that Bar-On as Attorney General would ensure a plea bargain for Deri. The appointment was thus pushed by Deri in exchange for Shas party's support of the controversial

Hebron agreement The Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron, also known as the Hebron Protocol or Hebron Agreement, was signed on 17 January 1997 by Israel, represented by Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Palestine Liberation Organiz ...

, which Deri threatened to bring down if Bar-On was not appointed. The affair created a furor in the Israeli media and public as well as political sphere. A police investigation was opened and its conclusion recommended that charges be brought against all involved. Eventually Deri was the only one indicted. Appel's libel case against Hasson was rejected in 2004.

References

{{Reflist 1997 in Israel 1997 scandals January 1997 in Asia Government crises Political scandals in Israel