Last update - 00:00 10/09/2007
State Prosecutor calls for two new criminal probes into PM
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent
State Prosecutor Eran Shendar confirmed Monday that he has recommended that Attorney General Menachem Mazuz launch new criminal investigations into Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on two separate affairs.
In an interview with Israel Radio, Shendar added that he expects Mazuz to decide on the matter soon.
The prime minister is currently under investigation for his role in the sale of the state's controlling interest in Bank Leumi, and is expected to be questioned under caution in the matter in the near future.
The first affair involves allegations that Olmert helped grant illicit benefits to a silicate company represented by his former law partner, Uri Messer, while serving as the minister of industry, trade, and labor. The matter involved projects handled by the Industry, Trade, and Labor Ministry's Investment Center.
The second affair involves political appointments made by the prime minister in the Small Business Authority, also during his term as industry, trade, and labor minister.
The suspicions involving Messer were first published in Haaretz Magazine. That report stated that Olmert personally considered most requests by Messer's clients, and approved benefits worth millions for them.
Olmert allegedly met with Messer's clients and with Messer himself to discuss their requests, and also discussed their requests with the relevant ministry staff. In no case did Olmert report to the state comptroller or the attorney general about a possible conflict of interest, nor did he ever recuse himself from involvement in such requests.