NRP Chairman: In a civilized country, Olmert would have resigned long ago - Haaretz

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Sun., July 13, 2008 Tamuz 10, 5768

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		National Religious Party Chairman MK Zvulun Orlev (BauBau Archives)

Last update - 08:57 12/07/2008

NRP Chairman: In a civilized country, Olmert would have resigned long ago

By Jonathan Lis and Shahar Ilan, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service, and The Associated Press

Tags: Israel, Ehud Olmert, Knesset

National Religious Party Chairman MK Zvulun Orlev said that the fresh suspicions against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "are dark clouds hovering above Olmert's head, along with many other dark clouds. In a civilized country, he would have stepped down a long time ago."

"We cannot put up with a situation whereby a leader is busy day and night with saving his skin, and prefers his own welfare to that of the public," Orlev said on Friday.

Also on Friday, Amir Dan, the PM's communications adviser, told the press that "the earth did not move and the sky did not fall" following Olmert's third questioning.

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He said the session was run in a "professional and appropriate manner. Most of the questions revolved around his stints as Jerusalem mayor and cabinet minister, in which capacity he traveled abroad frequently."

These comments came after Israel Police and the Justice Ministry released a joint statement Friday saying that Olmert is suspected of asking a number of different public organizations, and the state, to pay for the same trips abroad. The money was then allegedly used for family holidays.

"The prime minister was asked to give his account about suspicions of serious fraud and other offenses," said the police and the ministry joint statement, following a third round of questioning of Olmert in an ongoing corruption investigation.

"The police and the prosecution probably realized that Talansky's deposition is void," Dan added. "Therefore, they're trying to spin it, and create a drama out of nothing."

He said that the material had been transferred to the police, in a transparent way, already three months ago, and that "it is unclear what the urgency is, except their effort to divert attention from Talansky's testimony."

"These questions could have been addressed to every MK, minister or mayor in Israel, who often get invited to speak in public events abroad," he added.

Likud Chairman MK Gideon Sa'ar said that "it would be interesting to observe how Labor will go out of their way to make sure that Olmert stays in power, despite the new allegations against him." He also said that belonging to Olmert's cabinet is an act of "public turpitude".

"Making do with the upcoming Kadima primaries, or waiting for a new government or the Messiah, do not write off the prime minister's corrupt behavior," Sa'ar concluded.

Labor MK Shelly Yachimovich, who is also the chairman of the Knesset lobby against corruption, called on Olmert to step down immediately.

"Olmert staying in power would constitute an intolerable burden for the Israeli public, who deserves a prime minister who is not up to his neck in criminal procedures," she said.

Meretz Chairman MK Zahava Gal'on said that Attorney General Menachem Mazuz "would betray his role if he failed to announce immediately that the prime minister is unable to carry on."

"Olmert shows us that nothing is impossible," she continued. "Every day new, increasingly serious, allegations emerge."

"Prime Minister Olmert is convinced that he is innocent of any wrongdoing and firmly believes that as this investigation continues, that innocence will become apparent to all," the prime minister's spokesman, Mark Regev, said.

Regev wouldn't comment on the substance of the new suspicions.

Related articles:

ANALYSIS / Olmert can't recover from latest police interrogation

Police source: Anyone but Olmert would have been arrested by now

Wanted: Unity government

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1.	IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY THERE ARE NO RELIGIOUS PARTIES IN GOV`T	18:19	\|	b`Galil	11/07/08

2.	NRP & Jewish settlers destroy civilizations including Israeli	19:25	\|	anti-racist	11/07/08

3.	In a civilized country, would the NRP exist?	19:38	\|	Joe Sittizen	11/07/08

4.	Moving Earth and Falling Sky	19:41	\|	Tzfonit	11/07/08

5.	"In a civilized country, he would have stepped down"	19:58	\|	Axel	11/07/08

6.	Speaking of civilized countries...	20:22	\|	Yonatan	11/07/08

7.	In a civilized country...criminals don``t	21:06	\|	KAM	11/07/08

8.	Leave Olmert Alone	21:29	\|	Joe Bloom	11/07/08

9.	#5 Speaking of civiized countries Axel of Germany	21:35	\|	Sarah	11/07/08

10.	#5 Axel	22:42	\|	Gideon	11/07/08

11.	Does Israel Have Impeachment?	22:48	\|	Jane	11/07/08

12.	#7, KAM	23:01	\|	Gideon	11/07/08

13.	Not to defend Olmert,but the Leftie Saint Palme was more corrupt	23:28	\|	Absolute Sweden	11/07/08

14.	Civilized	23:43	\|	Ben E	11/07/08

15.	For God sake, Israel is not a civilized country!	00:03	\|	Ulf	12/07/08

16.	Olmert	00:04	\|	Dik	12/07/08

17.	NOT SO - corruption thrives in all civilized societies	01:13	\|	David P	12/07/08

18.	In a civilized country, religion and state are separated	01:54	\|	Civic Engineer	12/07/08

19.	Civilisation and its malcontents	03:13	\|	Morris Valentine	12/07/08

20.	Beyond any reasonable doubt ?	06:39	\|	Manuel	12/07/08

21.	The torah is a series of laws not dogma`s!!!	10:45	\|	Jason	12/07/08

22.	# 9 sarah	11:47	\|	Axel	12/07/08

23.	# 10 gideon	11:49	\|	Axel	12/07/08

24.	Olmert and the world`s leaders	12:20	\|	CB	12/07/08

25.	Wrong Headline - Not What He Said	13:05	\|	Gideon	12/07/08

26.	To Tzfonit from Ben-Ami	15:15	\|	Lebanese in Canada	12/07/08

27.	In a civilized country	15:21	\|	Lebanese in Canada	12/07/08

28.	THE PEOPLE DESERVE A PM WHO DOES NOT CAVE TO US PRESSURE FOR THEM	23:56	\|	glenna	12/07/08

29.	#23 Axel	08:26	\|	Gideon	13/07/08

30.	I a civilized country religion is paid by religious	08:27	\|	Ulf	13/07/08

31.	# 3 Joe Sitizen - Amen Brother !	09:59	\|	sj	13/07/08

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