Last update - 00:00 07/01/2007
Police fear new underworld wars following brawl between bosses
By Roni Singer-Heruti
Police fear that a Thursday brawl between two major underworld powers will spark a new war. According to suspicion, the fight broke out in a meeting between gangland kingpins Ya'akov Alperon and Itzik Abargil at the entrance to a sky scraper in Ramat Gan.
Abargil, believed to be the head of Israel's largest crime organization, and Alperon, met at the entrance to Abargil's building of residence. According to eye-witnesses, one of Abargil's men, Motti Hassin, was a very active participant in the meeting. Minutes after the meeting began, Alperon and his men were seen beating Hassin outside the building. A report that wasn't confirmed said that Abargil was also hit by Alperon or by one of his men.
The witnesses alerted police but by the time detectives arrived at the scene Alperon and Abergil were already gone. Hassin was taken to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv for treatment with stab wounds and a broken nose. He was taken in for questioning later, but did not give police any information. Hassin was released at the conclusion of his interrogation.
Alperon was arrested on suspicion of assault and later released.
Sources in police said the parties met in a bid to settle a dispute over bottle recycling, which has become a lucrative activity for crime families in Israel. It is believed that in addition to profiting from the actual activity, crime organizations are using bottle recycling businesses for money laundering.
In recent years, police suspect, Abargil and Alperon were close allies, in one instance against police's prime target Zeev Rosenstein, now standing for trial in the United States. But lately, it seems, tensions between them have grown as they began "stepping on each other's toes in the recycling business," according to police.
Alperon's attorney denied his client was involved in the affair: "Ya'akov Alperon was not even present when the incident took place," he said.