MK panel on gov't corruption dissolved ahead of elections

The parliamentary inquiry committee to uncover government corruption will cease its activities due to the decision to hold early elections.

Committee chair MK Michael Eitan told members at Sunday's meeting that any mention of corruption would be interpreted as serving the political interests of one or another speaker. Eitan said the word "corruption" is being used in the campaign to taunt rivals and not to truly fight public graft.

Eitan said the committee would pass the data it has gathered in its short period of operation to the next Knesset, along with a draft of a bill that would provide the committee broader powers.

Eitan vehemently rejected former State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg's recent criticism of the current comptroller, Micha Lindenstrauss. "There has been a change in the operation of the office, but it is a praiseworthy change. I prefer that the state comptroller respond immediately and make use of the media and public opinion."

Lindenstrauss has announced plans to publish a report on the disengagement plan in early January. He said it was not acceptable that such an important subject be addressed only in the annual report to be published two years from now. He said the report on the disengagement will include three chapters dealing with the protection of settlements, the operations of disengagement administration Sela and the various government ministries, and a chapter on the absorption of the evacuees. Lindenstrauss stated "the matter is being examined meticulously. State control must be effective and examine matters in real time."