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Morris Talansky: I arranged cash payments to Yitzhak Rabin
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: Olmert probe, Israel 

Lawyers for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert screened a video of key witness Morris Talansky in Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday in which the American businessman is seen talking about cash he once gave to the late Yitzhak Rabin.

On the last day of the cross-examination of the key witness in the graft probe against Olmert, the attorneys questioned Talansky over statements he made to police about contributing money to Rabin, despite his denial in court that he had any connection with other Israeli politicians. Talansky said his remarks about Rabin were meant to be confidential.

At this stage, State Prosecutor Moshe Lador interceded in the exchange. "He had no idea that he was being filmed," Lador said of Talansky. "This whole exercise, where the attorneys are taking an interest in what he said about Rabin, is so transparent." Legal experts say Olmert's lawyers are trying to manufacture "spin" by diverting public attention away from the investigation into Olmert's alleged financial improprieties.
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Despite the state prosecutor's attempt to suppress the footage, it was played in court. Talansky is seen in the clip remarking that Rabin received money from American Jewish businessman Leon Charney during one of his trips he took to the U.S. as a member of Knesset. Talansky is seen in the video saying he paid for Rabin's airline ticket, and that he wagered $100,000 in a tennis match together with Rabin, a match they would eventually won. Talansky is also heard saying he paid for Rabin's hotel room.

After screening the clip, Olmert's lawyers asked Talansky about his statements. Talansky replied that he and Rabin won $100,000 which would then be donated to Sha'arei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem.

Tel-Zur then offered Talansky a chance to apologize for the story. Talansky replied that he was sorry, that he regretted making the statements, and that he wished to apologize before the Rabin family.

"Talansky didn't say whether the story was true or false," Lador said afterwards. "This remains an open question."

During the questioning, an argument erupted between Talansky and Olmert's attorneys over a $15,000 loan the premier once received from Talansky during his stay in New York. Talansky claimed that Olmert called him three times in the morning, which meant that he needed something. Talansky then said he went to the bank to retrieve the money for Olmert. Olmert's lawyers then showed Talansky an excerpt from his previous questioning in which he denied being near the telephone when Olmert called.

Zohar told Talansky that even if there was a meeting planned, it did not occur, and that he did not give Olmert any loan on that day, nor on any other occasion. Talansky told Zohar that he was wrong, and that Shula [Zaken, Olmert's former bureau chief] called him three times consecutively, which he said indicated that Olmert wanted the money urgently.

Talansky said Tuesday that while the premier had promised contributors he would work toward keeping Jerusalem a united city, this political stance had no bearing on his own decision to help raise funds.

Olmert's attorneys cross-examined American Jewish businessman Morris Talansky for the fifth and final time on Tuesday.

The defense team has been trying to prove that Talansky's fundraising, which occurred during Olmert's tenures as trade minister and Jerusalem mayor, were linked to the prime minister's political promises.

During the questioning, Talansky told the defense team that while contending to be mayor of Jerusalem, Olmert had pledged to contributors he would keep Israel whole.

Talansky said that while he supported this stance, it did not influence his decision to help recruit funds and it was not a goal he had actively worked toward.

The tension boiled over on Tuesday with some testy exchanges between the two sides.

Talansky raised his voice several times at one of Olmert's lawyers, Eli Zohar. At one point, Zohar asked Talansky why he was shouting.

"Because you are agitating me," Talansky said.

"Believe me," Zohar replied, "you are agitating me more, but I'm not shouting."

The cross-examination ended Tuesday with questioning over Talansky's dealing with Olmert's son Shaul. Talansky said that he had visited Shaul Olmert for the purpose of giving him loans.

The hearing had begun earlier in the day with Olmert's attorney Nevot Tel Tzur trying to show how police had "put words" in Talansky's mouth and had tried to mislead and confuse Uri Messer, a former associate of Olmert, allegedly linked to the Talansky-Olmert transactions.

"When you are at interrogation and they say something, in the way they are asking you, you don't know if it is a question, if it is a statement, if they are putting words in your mouth ... it is not a normal conversation," Talansky said.

Talansky tried hard to maintain his usual smiling appearance as he entered the Jerusalem District Court Monday for his fourth day of cross-examination by Olmert's lawyers.

"I know all of you already," he joked to the horde of photographers besieging him. Once in the courtroom, he used the brief wait for the judges to explain the fast of the 17th of Tammuz, which was observed on Sunday, to those secular Jews present.

But his true feelings could be glimpsed in a quiet aside to an American journalist during a break in the proceedings: "For what they've done to me and members of my family, I hope God pays them."

By "they," it is not clear whether he meant Olmert, the prime minister's lawyers, the police, the prosecution, the media or perhaps all of them together. "And after all I gave to this country, and the institutions I helped to build," he added.

Related articles:
  • Olmert's attorneys: Talansky issued money transfers in own handwriting
  • Court rejects petition to keep Talansky in Israel for further questioning
  • VIDEO / Olmert's lawyer: Police pressure shaped Talansky testimony
  • Police quiz businessman over unpaid loan he gave to Olmert
  • OPINION / If Olmert isn't a criminal, at least he is an ingrate
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      1.   For G-ds Sake Israel Don`t Bite the Hand 03:22  |  Dave Levy 22/07/08
      2.   don`t pity him 03:26  |  hs 22/07/08
      3.   Either Indict Olmert Or Get A Prosecutor That Will 04:01  |  Dish It Out 22/07/08
      4.   Talansky 04:08  |  Steve 22/07/08
      5.   Israel no longer deserves American donors if this what happens! 04:36  |  Tali 22/07/08
      6.   May G-d bless Talansky a man with a pure Jewish Heart 05:04  |  Akram Zekaria 22/07/08
      7.   Shame on Olmert and his sleazebag lawyers 05:30  |  IW 22/07/08
      8.   Response to #1 - Shame on Israelis For Still Having Him as PM 06:03  |  Tod Zuckerman 22/07/08
      9.   COMENTS ON # 2 Akram Zekaria 07:55  |  BOB KING 22/07/08
      10.   At 77 years of age Lawyers expect this Old Man 08:25  |  Dolly 22/07/08
      11.   To Steve #2 and Tali #3 I agree !! 08:56  |  S 22/07/08
      12.   God help Talansky and may He help thisOld Man 09:56  |  The Threadmill. 22/07/08
      13.   To #2, 3, 4, 5, 6 10:18  |  Proud Israeli 22/07/08
      14.   Talansky for Prez 11:35  |  Sami 22/07/08
      15.   13# 12:04  |  A.M. 22/07/08
      16.   To Talansky and other bribers: 12:11  |  JonathanInTelAviv 22/07/08
      17.   9# BOB King I don`t know or care about the Woman or the Man 13:02  |  Akram Zekaria 22/07/08
      18.   To JonathanTelAviv # 16 - Wake up! 13:19  |  Dolly 22/07/08
      19.   Olmert promised , and it kept it -it ruined Israel 13:56  |  Sal 22/07/08
      20.   Dolly 14:11  |  JonathanInTelAviv 22/07/08
      21.   Talansky is unfortnately the problem 15:13  |  Shlomo 22/07/08
      22.   To # 13 Proud Israeli 16:00  |  Dish It Out 22/07/08
      23.   #21 Shlomo 16:06  |  Dsh It Out 22/07/08
      24.   To JonathanInTelaviv # 20 - Demands are met.... 17:40  |  Dolly 22/07/08
      25.   To Dish It Out @ 22 WHY NO DEMONSTRATIONS.... 18:33  |  Dolly 22/07/08
      26.   To Shlomo # 21 - Israel has those Arrogant ones too 18:45  |  netta 22/07/08
      27.   LOANS 18:48  |  BERNARD 22/07/08
      28.   Talansky says he also paid the hotrel bill for Yitzhak Rabin 19:01  |  Dagma 22/07/08
      29.   Olmert will not be in power much longer 19:06  |  Jeremy11 22/07/08
      30.   To Jeremy 11 # 29 - Are you kidding? 19:37  |  Pathfinder 22/07/08
      31.   Reply to #22 Dish it Out 19:48  |  Proud Israeli 22/07/08
      32.   Enuf of Talansky 20:17  |  joker 22/07/08
      33.   Why aren`t they going after the murderers in the IDF & IAF 21:07  |  Dutch 22/07/08
      34.   Legal Experts Have It Right, Its Time to Indict Olmert 23:02  |  Living In Rishon 22/07/08
      35.   We were different than arabs; not any more 23:42  |  Carlos 22/07/08
      36.   This Guy`s Full of Crap 00:40  |  MIKE 23/07/08
      37.   Delusional 04:40  |  Joe Bloom 23/07/08
      38.   Talanski is a rat 06:02  |  sweis Melbourne 23/07/08
      39.   Talanski is a rat 06:02  |  sweis Melbourne 23/07/08
      40.   HE "DOESN`T REMEMBER" 09:27  |  Robert 23/07/08
      41.   When will the conspiracy theorists log in? 13:29  |  Hassa 23/07/08
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