Ben-Gvir, Arbel clash on WhatsApp over criticism of Attorney General

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Author: ELIAV BREUER
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The screenshot was first published by Channel 14 on Thursday, and a spokesperson for Arbel confirmed its authenticity

Argument begins after Ben-Gvir's message

The argument broke out after Otzma leader Ben-Gvir sent a picture of an article from the newspaper Yisrael Hayom, which revealed a document in which representatives of the Attorney General's Office posed questions to the Israel Prison Service (IPS) regarding claims that it was not providing "security prisoners" (terror suspects) with healthy enough food.

According to the article, the document was procured as part of the legal process to answer a petition against the government by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, in which ACRI argued that the IPS was violating the law by not providing security prisoners with healthy enough food, and in some cases with not enough food whatsoever.

Menu changes for Palestinian prisoners

In the document in question published by Yisrael Hayom, the A-G's representative asked why fruit was taken off the menu and why hot dogs were being served twice a week, as this could potentially violate the law which requires that prisoners be served healthy food.

In addition, the A-G's representative questioned an IPS policy to provide prisoners with an average amount of food, as this could potentially mean that prisoners who required above-average quantities of food were not being fed enough, also contrary to the law.

In the government WhatsApp group, Arbel took issue with the fact that Ben-Gvir did not mention the context and the A-G's response, which was that the document was not a legal opinion but rather an attempt to determine the facts in order for the A-G's office to defend the National Security Ministry and the IPS against the ACRI petition.

"The truth is also an option in a populist world that prefers headlines," Arbel wrote.

Ben-Gvir's response

Ben-Gvir responded in bold letters, "I understand that you are busy flattering the attorney-general – maybe one day you will be appointed a judge – but the truth cannot be concealed. Delusional questions...