Israel's Shin Bet security chief Ronen Bar has taken the unusual step of publicly supporting house arrest for detained intelligence NCO Ari Rosenfeld, marking a dramatic development in the controversial case.
In an official position submitted to the district court, Bar indicated that concerns about Rosenfeld's access to sensitive materials have diminished significantly. The security chief stated that alternative detention arrangements could now adequately manage any remaining risks, signaling a major shift in the security establishment's stance.
The prosecution has responded by informing the court they will seek additional input from military authorities before finalizing their position on the proposed house arrest arrangement. This move has drawn criticism from Rosenfeld's defense team, who argue that further military consultation is redundant, noting that military officials have already acknowledged their limited familiarity with the investigation's details and circumstances.
Speaking on behalf of their client, defense attorneys Uri Korev, Sivan Russo, and Yehoshua Lamberger emphasized several key developments supporting release. They pointed to Rosenfeld's successful completion of a Shin Bet polygraph examination and highlighted a clinical assessment conducted by Dr. Nimrod Shani, which found no significant risk of repeated offenses.
"Continuing to hold Ari Rosenfeld in detention not only endangers his personal wellbeing but severely damages public trust," the defense team stated. They noted that over the past two months, Rosenfeld has participated in numerous meetings with public representatives and other inmates, including a cellmate detained for espionage, "without even the slightest concern about information security."
The defense attorneys also expressed urgent concerns about their client's deteriorating mental health in detention. "Every moment matters now," they stressed, adding that Rosenfeld has expressed clear regret for his actions. "He passed the Shin Bet's polygraph test and has demonstrated he poses no current danger. It's time for him to return home."
The Shin Bet boss backing house arrest is huge - it's not every day Israel's security chief says one of their detainees can go home. The military still needs to weigh in, but having the Shin Bet on board could be the game-changer his defense team has been waiting for.
0 Comments