Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., March 14, 2008 Adar2 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:01 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

IBA exec tried for indecent acts on minor still runs kids' radio By Asaf Carmel, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: kids' radio, IBA, police  A senior employee of the Israel Broadcasting Authority is currently being tried for allegedly committing indecent acts against a minor. Despite the ongoing trial, the employee - Moti Amir, 57 - is still on the job as a department head at Israel Radio. Even though the indictment against him was filed over two years ago, the IBA's management and the attorney general have been dawdling over getting Amir suspended. Amir denies the allegations and continues to work as usual. Among other things, he is responsible for "Educational Radio," a wide-ranging project aimed at increasing the awareness and involvement of teens and young adults in the mass media. The indecent acts of which Amir is suspected were revealed in the local Jerusalem paper, Kol Ha'ir in 2005. According to the charge sheet, Amir pestered a 15-year-old girl on several occasions, on the premises of the IBA. In one instance, Amir caressed the girl's back and face, fingered her lips and told her, "Come, I'll give you a bite." On another occasion when he met her, he said, "I don't want to eat. I just wanted to hug you." Advertisement The police claim that some of the acts attributed to Amir are documented on the IBA's security cameras. Amir's job includes responsibility for Israel Radio's archives, the management of the radio announcers department, and the coordination of the broadcasts of the various channels. When former president Moshe Katsav and former minister Haim Ramon were suspected of sexual offenses, they were both forced to suspend themselves. Amir is not an elected official, but rather a senior public employee. Still, he has not seen fit to suspend himself, nor did the IBA's management hasten to act in this regard. Last year Ometz Association contacted the IBA and demanded Amir's suspension. The IBA's legal department responded that only the IBA executive committee was authorized to deliberate the suspension of an employee. "When the indictment was filed against Amir," wrote attorney Marcia Zugman of the legal department, "there was no executive committee at the IBA, so it was impossible to exercise that authority. A board was appointed only in February 2007, and since then we are handling this matter." A Civil Service Commission spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that only the IBA's executive committee is authorized to suspend an employee. "In December 2007 the head of discipline at the commission advised the executive committee to consider suspending Amir," added the spokesman. "Under paragraph 47 of the Civil Service Law as it applies to authority employees, the executive committee can suspend Amir only after consulting with the attorney general or his agent. On April 16, 2007, we asked the attorney general for such a consultation. Unfortunately, despite our repeated efforts, we have not yet received his opinion. When we receive the attorney general's position, the matter will be discussed by the executive committee." A Justice Ministry source admitted that "due to a failure at our office, the material from the investigation on which the indictment is based reached the relevant person in the ministry only recently. A position on the case will probably be prepared in the next few days." Amir's legal representative, Attorney Zion Amir, said "the whole story is tainted with a very heavy suspicions of false accusation. My client has been caused tremendous anguish, and is suffering from the delay in justice. I believe he will be acquitted, and hope you will publish news of the acquittal when the time comes." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hezbollah scare Lebanese group's influence has dramatically increased in the West Bank. Literary boycott Peres calls Muslim countries' shunning of Paris Book Fair 'most ridiculous.'   1.   indecent acts on minor 07:57  |  Had enough 13/03/08   2.   Now, it`s published FIRE HIM IMMEDIATELY 11:58  |  petra 13/03/08

Today Online Abbas accuses Israel of 'ethnic cleansing' in Jerusalem Responses: 218 At least 30 Qassam rockets fired into Israel from Gaza since Wed. Responses: 172 Amira Hass: PA officials should act more like Gandhi Responses: 75 Poll: Half of Jewish public oppose Arabs in their neighborhoods Responses: 127 Wagner show in Nazi-era hall to raise funds for Ramallah venue Responses: 81 More Headlines 22:40 At least 30 Qassam rockets fired into Israel from Gaza since Wed. 22:13 Israel Bank intervenes in foreign currency market, buys dollars 01:35 Israel and France have a second honeymoon as Peres visits Sarkozy 02:39 Deputy TA mayor: Gov't reneges on promise to help refugees 01:01 Police arrest rabbi for 'inciting Palestinians' in East Jerusalem 20:56 Jerusalem yeshiva commemorates 8 students slain in terror attack 19:07 Ban: Israel must halt 'excessive force' against Palestinians 02:22 Jerusalem parents held in suspicion of torturing 3- and 4-year-old boys 02:48 Israel falls behind the times in having woman parliamentarians 22:23 Abbas accuses Israel of committing 'ethnic cleansing' in Jerusalem 00:43 Rubinstein competition / Exalted strokes outweigh the flaws 23:17 Traffic cop jailed for shooting at drivers who refused to pull over 20:38 Two Kiryat Ata men arrested for attacking Arab workers Previous Editions Select Day 13 mar 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb

Special Offers Advertisement FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer READY FOR PURIM? BUT - Who Will Guard The Hamentasch? Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM FREE JEWISH HISTORY COURSE Berel Wein's best selling lectures. 5000 Years in Five hours /CD/MP3 Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved