Attorney Yitzhak Greenzweig (Honenu) said that in security-related cases, the more severe the security offense, the more lenient the eventual plea deal tends to be — because prosecutors fear jeopardizing state security and secrets by litigating the case in open court. The remark came in a social media post and reflects a systemic critique of how state security cases are resolved behind closed doors.
Attorney Yitzhak Greenzweig, from the Honenu legal aid organization, posted a pointed observation on social media on Tuesday afternoon: in security-related criminal cases, the more serious the security offense, the more lenient the plea deal tends to be — because the prosecution prefers to avoid an open court proceeding that could expose classified information or harm state security. Greenzweig's formulation — that the absurdity is inherent in the system — is a critique widely shared among right-leaning legal circles in Israel, who argue that the state's own sensitivity to security leaks shields defendants from full accountability.
As The Zioneer has reported in the context of other security-related legal proceedings, plea deals in cases involving classified material are often negotiated behind closed doors, limiting public scrutiny. Greenzweig's post does not refer to any specific case but articulates a systemic concern that has been raised previously by defense lawyers in cases involving suspected Hamas operatives and Jewish underground activists alike.
- StrongProsecution tells court Netanyahu aide Yonatan Urich sought to tilt public discourse on hostages
- DevelopingJudges' decision lowers odds of plea deal, does not affect pardon chances — Amit Segal
- DevelopingAt trial, Netanyahu tells judges he sees very high prosecution responsiveness
- DevelopingState Attorney warns immunity for MK Gottlieb would set 'slippery slope' for Shin Bet
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake