Last update - 00:00 27/06/2007
Police question Ben-Eliezer over threats in Bank Leumi affair
By Gidi Weitz
National Infrastructures Minister Benjamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer was recently questioned by police investigating the Bank Leumi affair over whether he had sent any threatening messages to accountant general Yaron Zelekha, the main complainant against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the affair.
Zelekha filed a complaint with the state comptroller in November 2005 against the prime minister, in which he claimed that Olmert, in his role as finance minister, had tried to tamper with the tender to sell a controlling stake of Bank Leumi. Olmert was allegedly favoring a group of businessmen headed by Australian tycoon Frank Lowy.
According to information which Zelekha sent to state prosecutor Eran Shendar and to the police, Ben-Eliezer met him during the time of the investigation and told him, in so many words: "There are rumors that you complained against Olmert. You don't understand what you're getting yourself into, you are dealing here with the Mafia."
Several weeks later, immediately after the state comptroller's nearly year-long secret investigation was leaked, Ben-Eliezer called Zelekha, according to the latter's version, on a Friday afternoon.
Ben-Eliezer allegedly told him things such as: "Did you incriminate the prime minister? I hope not, I told you that this is the Mafia, don't get involved with this. If you keep on like this you'll end up with 10 bullets in your back. I'm worried about you."
Ironically, Ben-Eliezer and Zelekha are distant relatives, but the families have not had any real ties with each other for many years.
The accountant general and his family had hired bodyguards until recently, after an incident during which his wife received an anonymous threat that his hands and legs would be broken.
"The minister was asked to make a brief testimony to the police regarding the Bank Leumi investigation," said Moshe Ronen, the minister's adviser. Associates of Ben-Eliezer flatly rejected Zelekha's version.
Zelekha himself refused to comment "because the matter is being investigated."