Olmert wants a casino in Eilat - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Tue., October 16, 2007 ,

Israel Time: 05:15 (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 wants a casino in Eilat

By Guy Leshem

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is pushing for a casino in Eilat, after three years of freezing the matter. Two teams are currently studying the possibility of establishing a gambling resort, TheMarker has learned.

A month ago Olmert ordered the establishment of a group, led by the treasury's director general, Yarom Ariav, to study the issue and to prepare a master plan. At the same time, the outgoing head of the Mifal Hapayis national lottery, Shimon Katznelson, has been discussing the possibility of the lottery running a casino with Raanan Dinur, the director general of the Prime Minister's Office.

The committee studying the matter includes representatives of the police and from the justice, interior, tourism and welfare ministries. The committee has been asked to discuss the location of a casino and whether such an establishment would be run by a private franchisee or the state.

	Advertisement

The Finance Ministry said it had yet to formulate a stance on the matter. The committee has met a few times and will present its conclusions to Olmert in a few weeks. According to Ariav, a treasury committee has been meeting over the matter since August.

At the same time, Dinur asked Katznelson a month ago to submit a detailed plan for a Payis-run casino, according to sources inside the lottery. He then established a professional team to formulate such a plan, which will be presented to Olmert at the beginning of November.

Katznelson has already met with the mayor of Eilat and they have agreed to cooperate. The city wants to build a casino next to the yet unbuilt convention center, city hall sources told TheMarker.

Dinur's office responded: "No one in the office is dealing with the matter of a casino. The entire matter is in the hands of an intra-ministerial committee headed by Yarom Ariav. When the committee finishes its work, the conclusions will be presented to the Prime Minister's Office, which will decide how to proceed."

In the past, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraged building a casino in the South, in Eilat or Mitzpeh Ramon. The initiative was torpedoed, partly as a result of pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties.

Moti Bassok contributed to this article.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Part of Jerusalem?
	PM Olmert questions whether Arab neighborhoods should be defined as part of the capital.


	Who is a Jew?
	Israel's draft constitution states that 'every Jew is entitled to immigrate to Israel.'

Today Online


	Israel, Hezbollah in swap said to include info on Ron Arad
	Responses: 69


	Olmert hints Israel willing to part with Arab areas of J'lem
	Responses: 379


	Amira Hass: Israel has turned the Gaza Strip into a zoo
	Responses: 319


	Draft constitution ignores question of who is a Jew
	Responses: 80


	Rabin assassin Yigal Amir asks to attend son's circumcision
	Responses: 90


	Haaretz.com TV: Despite lobby's power, U.S. Jews are losing their bond to Israel
	Responses: 73

More Headlines
03:21 Israel, Hezbollah conduct first swap since 2006 war


04:42 ANALYSIS: Israel, Hezbollah need no trust building measures


02:28 Abductees' families cautiously optimistic over Hezbollah deal


02:54 Likud urges Shas, Lieberman to quit gov't over PM's 'intention'


04:26 Cartoon spat prompts Shas to quit Knesset religious lobby


03:56 Balad activist murdered on doorstep of his business in Lod


17:28 IAEA asks for information on any Syrian nuclear plans


23:17 Polish right-wing party accused of running anti-Semitic campaign ad


22:15 Prisons Service refuses to allow Yigal Amir to attend son's circumcision


18:51 Israeli Arab member of Galilee terror group convicted of killing soldier