Retired Judge Eitan Orenstein Suddenly Resigns from Gartner vs. Gertler Arbitration

Retired judge Eitan Orenstein unexpectedly resigned from the arbitration between the Gartner brothers and Dan Gertler on the day the police investigation into his affairs concluded. Orenstein accepted Gertler's request for his disqualification, stating he could no longer rule objectively. Meanwhile, the police transferred the investigation file against him and attorney Efi Naveh to the prosecution on suspicion of bribery.

Retired judge Eitan Orenstein announced his sudden resignation from the arbitration between brothers Moshe and Mendy Gartner and billionaire Dan Gertler, on the day the investigation into his affairs concluded. Orenstein accepted Gertler's request, who had long sought to disqualify him as an arbitrator, and wrote that he concluded he could not rule with openness and objectivity. He clarified that the circumstances leading to his resignation occurred after the arbitration award was given, and that Gertler attributed baseless accusations to him. The Gartner brothers sought to reject the disqualification request. Meanwhile, the police announced the conclusion of their investigation into the affair involving Orenstein and attorney Efi Naveh, which raised suspicions of bribery in Orenstein's appointment as president of the Tel Aviv District Court. The legal battle between the parties has lasted 16 years, and in April 2024 an arbitration award of approximately 1,200 pages was given, under which Gertler was ordered to pay $85 million plus interest.