Haifa police arrested defense attorney Galia Salvetski last week under suspicion that she had slashed the tires of a private car belonging to Haifa District Court judge Oded Gershon.

Police suspect Salvetski slashed Gershon's tires on several separate occasions, slashing 21 tires in all. The suspected motive for her actions is a four-year romantic relationship between the two that had recently ended.

Gershon filed several complaints with the police regarding the vandalism, and in response the police set up a surveillance camera in his garage. According to the police, the camera caught Salvetski slashing the tires of Gershon's car.

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Salvetski denied the allegations against her and maintained that it was not she who could be seen on the surveillance tape but in fact someone else. However, when the police searched her home, they recovered an item of clothing identical to that worn by the woman on the tape. Furthermore, the police found in one of the pockets a sharp instrument that could have been used to vandalize the car. When she was questioned about the items, Salvetski said that the clothing did in fact belong to her, but she had not worn it in some time.

Following the arrest, the Haifa District Court placed a gag order on the case. Supreme Court President Justice Dorit Beinish relocated the proceedings to the Tel Aviv District court in order to avoid the possible personal ties between court officials and the individuals involved in the crime.

The media put pressure on the court to remove the gag order, and after the Tuesday hearing, the Tel Aviv judge Doron Avihai complied, allowing public access to the trial.

The judge refused to release the name of the second suspect involved, saying that there is visual evidence linking the suspect to the crimes she is accused of, "so that there is enough information to indict."

Silvetski's attorney David Yiftah said the trial revolves around personal affairs that are not anyone's business, and that the incriminating evidence the police have gathered is merely circumstantial.

The court offices said that the incident is under investigation, and the district prosecutor Attorney Ruth David is expected to decide whether Silvetski will be indicted in the next few days.

According to agreements made several months ago, Silvetski will retire from her position January 1st, 2007. She is not expected to be working in the court offices in the meantime.