Full Breakdown
Tel Aviv Court Convicts Yitzhak Liber of Bribe Intermediary Role in Submarine Procurement Scandal
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Conviction Details
The Tel Aviv District Court found communications adviser Yitzhak “Tzahi” Liber guilty of brokering bribes, money laundering, and assisting in the preparation of false accounting records. The judgment held that Liber received nearly NIS 94,000 from businessman Miki Ganor—payments that were disguised as consulting fees for services that were never rendered. According to the court, the funds were intended for former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, David Sharan, and were transferred in two installments: NIS 35,400 in November 2014 to a company owned by Liber, and NIS 58,500 in August 2016 to a firm owned by Liber’s business partner.
Background of the Submarine Affair
The case forms part of “Case 3000,” the broader corruption investigation into Israel’s procurement of submarines and naval vessels from German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp. Ganor represented the German company in Israel, while Sharan occupied senior positions in the Prime Minister’s Office. Liber was tried separately from Ganor and Sharan, whose proceedings remain ongoing.
Legal Reasoning and Defense Claims
Judge Dr. Shmuel Melamed rejected the defense’s attempt to suppress Liber’s police admissions, concluding that the statements were given voluntarily after private consultation with counsel. The judge noted that Liber could not explain the amounts or timing of the payments and that the parties had exchanged unsigned draft contracts. Liber’s lawyers argued that investigators from the Lahav 433 National Crime Unit had improperly pressured him, limited his access to legal advice, and tied cooperation to release from detention. The court found these claims unsubstantiated and affirmed the credibility of Liber’s admissions.
Implications
The conviction underscores the judiciary’s willingness to treat a series of related payments as a continuous criminal course, resulting in a single count for each of the three offenses. While the verdict addresses only Liber’s role, it adds pressure on the remaining defendants in the Submarine Affair and highlights ongoing scrutiny of alleged corruption surrounding Israel’s defense acquisitions.