Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., August 08, 2008 Av 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:49 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Business in Brief After the summer break, Israel's prosecution will be pressing charges against suspects in the fake loans case at Bank Leumi UK. There is a question as to what charges will be pressed, however. "Theft" and "bribery" are evidently off the table. Subject to hearings for all the suspects, including the former chief of Leumi UK, Menachem "Miki" Friedman, the charges will apparently include forgery and trying to bilk the bank of NIS 30 million through fake loans, made in 2006 and 2007 to fictional borrowers. The Justice Ministry said that the case is still being studied and that no final decisions have been made. (Amit Benaroia) It had to happen sometime with the privatization of the kibbutzim: A kibbutz member - Gil Metz of Kibbutz Kadarim in the Lower Galilee - decided to move to the big... well, to Rosh Pina, and sold his house to a young couple. The transaction was made possible because Kadarim was privatized, with members receiving the property rights to their homes. The buyers nevertheless had to pass muster with a committee, which agreed to embrace them in the kibbutz. (Eli Ashkenazi) Advertisement BG, the company formerly known as British Gas, has doubled the price it wants to sell natural gas to Israel from the Gaza Marine field. Industry sources surmise that BG is demanding $10 per MBTU (million British thermal units), compared to $4.60 when Israel and BG last negotiated a year ago. The Finance Ministry said the price will be negotiated, while the National Infrastructures Ministry refused to say anything. (Avi Bar-Eli) The food importers' division at the Manufacturers Association is gearing up to slam the state with a massive damages claim over losses caused by the sluggish release of foodstuffs at the ports. Health Ministry inspectors began working at a glacial pace three months ago, after the state prosecution indicted a number of port inspectors for failure to thoroughly and properly inspect imports following the Remedia baby-formula case, in which three infants died after consuming soy-based formula that lacked essential B-group vitamins. (Hila Raz) PublicZone Transportation is suing Israel Metro Builders, the group that won the tender to carry out engineering works for the Tel Aviv light rail system, over nonpayment of bills for planning. PublicZone, which planned train stations for Jerusalem and the Haifa cable car Metronit system, provided planning services to IMB from November 2007 to June 2008, said it received nothing for it and suggests that IMB is in financial trouble. IMB is owned by Africa Israel subsidiary Danya Cebus, CCECC of China and Souras Da Costa of Portugal. IMB denies the allegations and says it may counter-sue. (Avi Bar-Eli) A lawyer has lost her lawsuit against a polygraph institute which deemed her to be lying. Riva Rochberg was fired from representing a woman in a claim against an insurance company. She sued the client, claiming 15% of the client's compensation. The client claimed that an agreement set the fee at 13% but Rochberg claimed no agreement had been signed. Both agreed to a polygraph that would determine whether a pact had been signed. The test showed that Rochberg lied and the client told the truth. Rochberg sued, claiming that the polygraph technician was negligent and that the negative finding reflected doubts that she experienced. The court said she couldn't have it both ways: She had agreed to be tested and to abide by the findings. (Nurit Roth) The fact that the Bank of Israel is revealing its intentions regarding intervention in the forex market, and is even supplying timelines, is a crass mistake, says Migdal Capital Markets stocks desk manager Gidi Halpern. It simply plays into the hands of speculators, he said. Meanwhile, yesterday the dollar weakened by 1.7% against the shekel to NIS 3.55. (TheMarker) Bookmark to del.icio.us   Staying out Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military operations. Ganei Tallywood Hamas transforms former Gaza settlement into movie lot.

Read & React Israel to free more than 150 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas Responses: 106 Rights groups slam 'disgraceful' minor charge over shooting of bound Palestinian Responses: 146 Israel to Hezbollah: We won't tolerate arms smuggling Responses: 133 Al-Jazeera apologizes for 'unethical' coverage of Kuntar release Responses: 92 Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military operations Responses: 88 More Headlines 02:44 Israel protests planned Ahmadinejad's visit to Turkey 00:35 Barak: Israel-PA peace deal unlikely in 2008 00:40 PRC: Gaza truce may end in 3 weeks if no progress on crossings 18:33 Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military ops 02:40 Peres singled out for honor in Olympic opening ceremony 02:34 Gaza women gives birth to quadruplets, husband not allowed into Israel 01:56 Ultra-Orthodox 'Modesty Guard' suspected in beating of J'lem woman 00:59 Three killed as small plane crashes at Haifa airport 01:43 Ministers to meet Monday on policy for release of Palestinian prisoners 00:59 Reputed mob boss arrested over Bat Yam beach murder 20:49 Israel issues tenders for building of West Bank, East Jerusalem homes 22:19 Jewish World / Jewish education is expensive, but worthwhile 23:02 VIDEO / Hamas transforms former Gaza settlement into movie lot 23:34 Gaza students make personal appeal to Rice over revoked visas 01:03 Two days before his first Olympics, Israeli swimmer learns of father's death Previous Editions Select Day 07 aug 06 aug 05 aug 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul

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