Olmert faces third criminal probe, calls to step aside - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Mon., October 15, 2007 ,

Israel Time: 02:11 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Arts & Leisure

Real Estate

Jewish World

National

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Business

Opinion

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Books

Travel

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Olmert faces third criminal probe, calls to step aside

By Yuval Yoaz

Attorney General Menachem Mazuz ordered the police to open a third criminal investigation against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday.

The latest probe relates to Olmert's tenure as industry and trade minister in 2003-06. During this time, he allegedly made political appointments in the Small Business Administration and other government agencies. In addition, he allegedly intervened in decisions by the ministry's Investment Center in order to help clients of his longtime friend and former partner, attorney Uri Messer. Both probes are based primarily on investigations by the State Comptroller's Office, as well as investigative reports by journalists.

	Advertisement

According to the Justice Ministry, however, a preliminary inquiry carried out by the police uncovered new material that was not included in the comptroller's reports, and this tipped the scales in favor of ordering a criminal probe. There had been doubts about whether the comptroller's reports alone sufficed to justify an investigation, it explained.

But even with the new material, a ministry official said, this will be "a wide-ranging and complex investigation. This is not the [former finance minister Abraham] Hirchson case, in which there were envelopes filled with cash that someone put in his pocket. Here we're talking about things that were done using much more elegant methods."

The two earlier probes relate to Olmert's purchase of a house on Jerusalem's Cremieux Street, on which he allegedly received discounts in return for helping the contractor obtain permits from the Jerusalem municipality, and the state's sale of Bank Leumi, in which Olmert allegedly tailored the terms of the tender to benefit a friend who was bidding.

In response to yesterday's decision, Olmert's bureau said: "These investigations are superfluous. It is clear beyond a doubt that these probes will end in nothing."

Noting that thus far, Mazuz has opened an investigation into every allegation made against the prime minister, the statement continued: "In practice, all suspicions and allegations, whether made wholeheartedly or halfheartedly, have been transferred in full to the police for handling."

Various politicians demanded yesterday that Olmert suspend himself due to the plethora of criminal investigations against him - a demand that Olmert swiftly rejected, saying that the probes would not prevent him from "being fully and energetically involved in fulfilling his [governmental] responsibilities." Some nongovernmental organizations are already threatening to petition the High Court of Justice against this refusal, arguing that the multiple investigations make it impossible for Olmert to devote the necessary attention to state affairs.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Public discontent
	Teachers are replacing port workers in the public's mind as the 'official, serial national strikers.'


	Bad for academia?
	A Haifa professor says funding from corporations gives rise to some ethical conundrums.

Today Online


	Bradley Burston: Ann Coulter's dream of a Jew-free America
	Responses: 295


	Ministers approve renewal of dig at disputed Mugrabi Gate
	Responses: 82


	Report: Abducted IDF soldiers transferred to Iran after capture
	Responses: 157


	Rice arrives in region to help advance peace talks ahead of summit
	Responses: 125


	Gideon Levy: Israeli journalists can go to Syria and Iraq, but not to the Gaza Strip
	Responses: 51

More Headlines
20:24 AG orders probe against PM over new corruption suspicions


19:15 Rice: Only focus on core issues can advance the peace process


16:16 Barak heads to United States to promote Israeli rocket defense


22:11 Rabin killer Amir asks to attend son's upcoming circumcision


14:51 Israel refuses entry to 6 Gazans in urgent need of medical care


22:42 London Jews celebrate U.K. Jewish history in Trafalgar Square rally


21:59 Islamic Movement leader urges fellow Ra'am-Ta'al MK to quit Knesset


17:57 Israeli historian wins German Book Trade's 2007 peace prize


22:52 Organizers call off T.A. peace concert after one in Jericho cancelled


13:33 Israel denies report that abducted IDF soldiers were turned over to Iran


17:54 Teachers, Treasury conclude meeting over strike without breakthrough


14:06 Lieberman seeks to encourage aliyah of Russian Jews from Canada


15:02 Mugrabi excavations delayed due to appeal by Arab minister