Zionist police called for pressing formal charges against former army chief-of-staff Gabi Ashkenazi and former army spokesman Avi Benyahu in connection with what has come to be known in the Zionist entity as "the Harpaz affair".

Zionist police on Tuesday called for pressing formal charges against former army chief-of-staff Gabi Ashkenazi and former army spokesman Avi Benyahu in connection with what has come to be known in the Zionist entity as "the Harpaz affair."

The case is named after Lt.-Col. (res.) Boaz Harpaz, who is accused of trying to illegally undermine then-defense minister Ehud Barak's choice of successor to Ashkenazi as army chief-of-staff.

Ashkenazi, for his part, faces charges of breach of trust and passing classified information to an unauthorized source, according to Zionist daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

As for Benyahu, he will be indicted for obstruction of justice, negligently holding a secret document, and breach of trust.

Police recommendations are not legally binding, but they will be submitted to the Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein, who will decide on whether to accept them and indict Ashkenazi.

The Harpaz affair dates back to August 2010 when it was initially known as the "Galant document."

Ehud Barak, serving as defense minister at the time, had had differences with Ashkenazi over his successor as army chief-of-staff.

Barak had wanted Zionist General Yoav Galant to succeed Ashkenazi, who had preferred General Gadi Eizenkot for the post.

Zionist Channel 2 subsequently published a document, known as "the Harpaz document," which talked about the Barak camp's plan to launch a smear campaign against Askhenazi.

Enemy police, however, eventually decided the document was a forgery.

Zionist entity's comptroller, who had been involved in the case, concluded that Ashkenazi's assistant, Col. Erez Weiner, had compelled Harpaz to collect incriminating information about Barak and Galant in order to undermine the latter's chances of being appointed to the coveted army post.