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Last update - 09:20 12/05/2008 In Talansky case, Olmert's bonds with cronies beginning to crack By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: police, Israel, Ehud Olmert  One thing police investigators hope to accomplish in their investigation of the Ehud Olmert-Morris Talansky affair is to break the long-standing bonds of loyalty between the prime minister, attorney Uri Messer and Olmert's former office manager, Shula Zaken. The rifts in the three-way relationship are already apparent: Olmert, when questioned, said Messer and Zaken were responsible for handling Talansky's donations, while Messer told the police that Zaken gave him the money to hold, and he later returned it to her, but never knew who it came from or how it was used. Zaken has thus far refused to talk, but Olmert, like Messer, directed the police's attention to her, saying she was the one who arranged his meetings with Talansky and then transferred the money to Messer. Advertisement "She knows very well what the fact that she is keeping quiet means," a law-enforcement source said. "It has been made clear to her that her silence reinforces the suspicions against Olmert, who, without her, cannot refute the allegations against him. Thus far, however, she has not assisted the investigators." Messer and Zaken, the two key suspects in the case besides Olmert, are both likely to be offered a chance to turn state's evidence against the prime minister. But neither has yet received such an offer. Olmert, Zaken and Messer met each other in the 1970s, when all were working in attorney Uzi Atzmon's law firm. In 1977, all three quit to set up their own law firm, Ehud Olmert and Partners. Zaken was the firm's secretary; the other two were lawyers. Olmert quit the firm in 1988, but to this day, Zaken and Messer remain two of the people closest to him. In 1998, Messer also headed a nonprofit organization, United Jerusalem, that supported Olmert's reelection campaign for the city's mayoralty. Some members of the police and prosecution interpreted Olmert's press conference last Thursday, at which he responded to the suspicions against him, as the first public sign of a break between Olmert and his cronies. At this conference, Olmert saddled Messer with prime responsibility for dealing with the Talansky donations. "I have no doubt that attorney Messer managed this money to the best of his professional ability, and I presume that he did so within the limits of the law," he said. That statement followed press reports that Messer had decided to incriminate Olmert. Zaken has thus far been questioned four times, and additional interrogations are expected. Her house arrest ended last Friday, but she is still forbidden to contact Olmert. Law-enforcement officials continue to insist that the case is "relatively simple to crack," even though they now say the probe will take another several months¬ a far cry from their earlier estimate of weeks or even days. "In the coming weeks," predicted one, "the picture will already be clearer: whether Messer - who apparently acted innocently - will be cleared of the suspicions against him, and whether sufficient evidence will accumulate against Zaken and Olmert." Related articles: Talansky: Don't know how Olmert spent funds I gave Kadima members berate Livni for silence over Olmert probe Let's be done with all the Talanskys Bookmark to del.icio.us   A top priority Barack Obama: We will keep Israel's security a priority. Tale of a key Cartoon film on Nakba describes Jews as 'enemies of homeland'.   1.   Olmerts supporters are running away to protect themselves 07:16  |  Kipperraes 12/05/08   2.   Olmert 07:24  |  Ralph 12/05/08   3.   Olmert, Zaken and Messer ...... 09:35  |  Dagma 12/05/08   4.   When Friends fall out! 09:37  |  The Threadmill 12/05/08   5.   Think about the following questions: 09:40  |  S 12/05/08   6.   #5, S 10:25  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/05/08   7.   To S # 5 - Answer to 4 ,,,,,,,, 10:29  |  Dolly 12/05/08   8.   IL&US Income tax authorities, where are you 11:38  |  Nora 12/05/08   9.   Olmart stands alone. 12:11  |  Rozz 12/05/08   10.   Too soon! 13:50  |  Motic 12/05/08   11.   Al Capone 14:36  |  O`Bannion 12/05/08   12.   Olmert - a strategic danger to Israel`s existence 15:37  |  Yonatan 12/05/08

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