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Last update - 22:20 05/06/2008 AG Mazuz: No legal grounds yet for forcing Olmert to resign By Tomer Zarchin, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: corruption, Israel  It is still too soon to decide whether there are legal grounds for requiring Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said Thursday, but his continued tenure is certainly a legitimate matter for discussion in the political and public realm. Mazuz expressed this view in a letter to the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which had demanded that he declare the prime minister incapacitated and force him to step down. According to the Attorney General's Office, there is still insufficient evidence to charge Olmert, or even to decide what offenses might be included in such an indictment. Advertisement "But in view of the public sensitivity of this situation, enormous efforts are being made to expedite the investigation and the decision-making in this matter," the letter added. Meanwhile, the key witness in the fraud investigation against Olmert, American fundraiser Morris Talansky, returned to Israel yesterday for his granddaughter's wedding, which is scheduled to take place on June 11. Attorneys for Olmert and his former bureau chief, Shula Zaken, are slated to cross-examine Talansky in the Jerusalem District Court on July 17, and there is no indication that they will request that the date be moved forward so that the cross-examination could take place on the current visit. Talansky left Israel last Wednesday after having testified to the court that he transferred large sums of cash to Olmert over the course of the past 15 years. During those years, Olmert served as mayor of Jerusalem and minister of industry and trade. Talansky estimated that he gave Olmert as much as $150,000 in cash during those 15 years. But the prosecution has submitted documents indicating that the actual sum transferred was more than $400,000, much of which was deposited in a trust fund managed by Olmert's former partner, attorney Uri Messer. Related articles: Legal source: Cash envelopes alone may not prove charges against Ehud Olmert Ehud Olmert's lawyers receive Talansky's bank, credit records Police question Talansky, pass on evidence to Olmert's attorneys Bookmark to del.icio.us   Terrorist donuts U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh. All the way to hell Rosner's blog: It's Obama's good intentions that pro-Israel activists fear.   1.   If "Quick" Investigation Means "Narrowing" Scope: Don`t Do It 21:19  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 05/06/08   2.   WINOGRAD again! 21:45  |  Dagma 05/06/08   3.   It is all so confusing ! 21:59  |  Natasha 05/06/08   4.   Since when does Mazuz need 22:39  |  Zvi 05/06/08   5.   mazzuzz left wing friend 23:42  |  alex 05/06/08   6.   mazuz is a bigger crook than Olmert 01:07  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 06/06/08   7.   We are ashamed 05:18  |  Joshua 06/06/08   8.   Just journalistic crap? 23:57  |  Ulf 06/06/08

Read & React U.S.: We will address Iran nuclear threat diplomatically Responses: 132 Olmert: Broad Gaza military operation closer than ever Responses: 109 Bradley Burston: Leave it to Fox News to elect Obama Responses: 82 Obama's pro-Israel speech before AIPAC riles Arab press Responses: 38 Rosner's Domain Obama and Jerusalem: did you really believe him? Guest: Marrying within the faith isn't racism - it's self preservation Should you mess with the Zohan? (WTR) Poll: Philip Roth, Victor Frankl or Leon Uris? What did Obama say to Joe Lieberman? (WTR) More Headlines 23:54 U.S.: We will address Iran nuke threat diplomatically 23:56 Negev pounded with Qassams, mortar shells fired from Gaza 00:17 Author Thomas L. Friedman: No short-term leverage on Iran other than military 03:43 PM to Bush, Abbas: I'll weather legal storm, stay in office 18:12 Obama's pro-Israel speech before AIPAC riles Arab press 00:03 Thousands attend 10th annual Gay Pride parade in Tel Aviv 18:16 New database gathers tales of Shanghai's Holocaust refugees 00:50 Israel lags behind Sudan, Pakistan in number of women in legislature 01:36 Olmert hints major Gaza operation is imminent 22:24 A rabbi, an imam and a priest discuss their 'painful verses' 03:07 Olmert aides: Progress made with U.S. on forging common view on Iran 03:54 IDF spokesman: Announce war casualties only once a day 05:20 New radar system in the works to detect mortars from Gaza Previous Editions Select Day 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may

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