Corruption

Blackadder and Israeli elections

Sahar Zivan — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:19:56 +0100

In an episode of 1980's British comedy Blackadder, while discussing Baldrick's lack of a criminal record, Edmund Blackadder exclaims: "Come on Baldrick, you're going to be an MP! I'll just write fraud and sexual deviance."

How sad then, that while the episode in question is meant to describe British politics in the 19th century, it could just as easily explain Israeli politics in the 21st. With election season in full swing, two of the biggest names who are tipped to sway the balance of this election are convicted criminals.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert remains on trial over the Holyland affair and last month was convicted on charges of breach of public trust, while in 2000, the former head of Shas, who served as interior minister, Aryeh Deri, was sentenced to three years in jail for accepting bribes while in office. This is nothing new.

The current Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Foreign Minister have all been investigated over allegations of corruption and in 2001 Mr Lieberman was also convicted of assault on a 12 year old boy.

In comparison, in the UK the Conservative Party's chief whip's battle for his job continues over allegations that he called police officers a derogatory term, despite the officer in question allegedly accepting an apology and the Metropolitan Police not set to pursue the matter.

I don't for one second wish to take away from the seriousness of the matter, but if this is the reaction to using an offensive word, then how would the notoriously unforgiving British press respond to any attempted return to politics by a man convicted of accepting $155,000 in bribe money while a serving minister? What a field day would they have with the headlines about a man many are now eagerly anticipating the return of, when only one month ago he was convicted of breaching the public trust?

The truth is that as Israelis we've become used to lowering our expectations of politicians. The last time Israelis went to the polls, I was a first time voter. Having read the manifestos of all the relevant parties, I cast my vote based on my principles, which I was insistent I would not compromise on. As it turned out, the party I voted for was happy to compromise its principles for me, time and again.

Little wonder that as the election comes around this time, I too find myself wondering whether Olmert and Deri's crimes are really unforgivable. Surely, I think to myself, surely if they can bring about a change in social policy in Israel, help reduce the gap between the rich and poor, make housing affordable again, we can forgive them a "little" indiscretion from a decade ago? That same cynical part of me insists that the only difference between Olmert and Deri, and the current crop of Knesset members is that the former got caught.

Perhaps Moshe Kachlon, the outgoing minister for communication, shouldn't have been so surprised by the reaction to his announcement that he was retiring earlier this week. "I've been telling everyone for years that I was going home at the end of this term. I guess people really don't believe politicians" Kachlon said, stating that which to most of us is already obvious.

Sahar, 22, has lived in Israel in for the past nine years. Follow him on Twitter.

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Israel's Olmert cleared of serious corruption charges

Jennifer Lipman — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:51:37 +0100

The former Israeli Prime Minister has been cleared of corruption charges against him.

The case against Ehud Olmert involved allegations that he accepted illicit campaign donations from an American businessman. He was also accused of incorrectly recording his foreign travel expenses.

He was indicted in September 2009 on the charges, following the investigation that led to his resignation as prime minister.

On Tuesday morning a Jerusalem court cleared him of the charges, although the former Jerusalem mayor was convicted of a lesser charge involving a breach of trust for directing valuable contracts to the friends of a business associate.

Mr Olmert described that charge as a "procedural lapse" but said he was delighted to be cleared on the other charges.

He said: "There was no corruption. There was no taking of money, there was no use of money, there were no cash envelopes."

Although it is a victory for the former Kadima politician, Mr Olmert is still embroiled in another case involving allegations of wrongdoing when he was mayor of Jerusalem.

Scandal clouds top cop appointment

Anshel Pfeffer — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:38:37 +0000

The appointment of a new national chief of police has failed to bring calm to the scandal-prone force.

Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch announced on Sunday that he was appointing the commander of the Police's Southern District, Yochanan Danino, as the next Commissioner General of the Police, instead of Dudi Cohen, who will retire in May 2011.

Mr Aharonovich's field of candidates for the top policing job was whittled down last month when the allegations of a sex scandal in the upper echelons of the force implicated two senior officers, one who had an intimate relationship with a professional adviser to the minister and another who is accused of having sexually assaulted her. The minister hoped that the announcement of the new chief would finally calm down the tension between the top cops, but his preferred candidate also carries some baggage.

Commander Danino, a lawyer who rose through the ranks of the Investigations Branch and, as head of the Serious Crimes Unit, led a series of corruption probes of senior politicians, is being accused of whitewashing the murder of two police informants four years ago.

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein approved the appointment, but family members of the two informants are threatening to petition the Supreme Court. State Comptroller Micah Lindenstrauss, who is investigating the accusations against Cdr Danino, said this week that "the appointment could have waited until the end of our probe".

Comment: Peace talks? Don't get your hopes up

Gerald M Steinberg — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:52:10 +0100

Six decades of failed peace efforts have left most Israelis (and Palestinians) deeply skeptical about the prospects for success.

The pattern is familiar - a new American president, faced with major difficulties at home and abroad, hopes that a Middle East peace breakthrough will help solve many of these problems. He squeezes the leaders of both sides, and as neither wants the label of "spoiler", they go along with the charade.

But the efforts fail, as core differences over history, religion (particularly in Jerusalem), borders and sovereignty remain insurmountable.

Indeed, there are many reasons to expect that the difficulties in reaching a stable compromise, based on a "two state solution", will be even more pronounced in the Obama round. The catastrophic outcome of the Oslo process has increased Israeli concerns over security, and the demonisation campaign against Israel, including the allegations of "war crimes" and "apartheid", has led many Israelis to give up on international acceptance, with or without peace.

In parallel, Palestinians are deeply divided, with Hamas in control of Gaza, and the remnants of the PLO/Fatah group clinging to power in the West Bank. In the US, which is the only outside power with influence, the first 18 months of the Obama administration showed massive incompetence, and created even more problems.

Nevertheless, there is a slim basis for considering a positive outcome. Israelis are tired of the conflict and ready for a compromise that meets basic requirements. Polls consistently show that the majority want an end to the post-1967 stalemate (the "occupation"), without inviting renewed terrorism, as occurred following the Gaza withdrawal in 2005. Internationally recognised and defensible borders (not the 1949 cease fire lines) would have a number of positive impacts.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is aware of these realities, as are the Israelis who voted his government into office. In contrast to the hostile media campaigns referring to a "far-right ideology", Mr Netanyahu has evolved into a pragmatic leader, pursuing negotiations to protect Israel's vital interests. If terms emerge that will meet these requirements, he will be able to form a centrist government, preventing the smaller parties in his coalition from exercising a veto. After Mr Obama wasted a year attempting to back Mr Netanyahu into a corner, he has now changed course.

In parallel, the Palestinians are slowly emerging from 40 years under Mr Arafat's control, when peace negotiations were only a façade and corruption was rampant. Now, Palestinian society is deeply divided. Hamas is turning Gaza into an Islamist stronghold. In contrast, the relative quite in the West Bank has created an unprecedented economic boom, which, under Salam Fayad's technocratic leadership, has been spread quite widely. To preserve and extend these gains, and prevent the extension of Hamas's rule, there may now be support for pragmatic compromises with Israel.

These seeds of pragmatism need to be nurtured by the Arab countries, matching deeds to the words of the Arab League Peace Initiative. Egypt is on the verge of a critical transition, as President Mubarak's health deteriorates, and stability on its borders is vital. And with the US leaving Iraq to its own civil wars, and a nuclear Iran filling the vacuum, Saudi Arabia and other Sunni powers would also benefit from the end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The problem is that this happy ending depends on rational self-interest, pragmatic leadership and compromise, rather than the rigid dictates of religion and ideology. After so many peace disasters, in which a few pragmatic sparks were quickly extinguished by hate and fanaticism, a skeptical approach to latest peace efforts is justified.

Gerald Steinberg is professor of politics at Bar Ilan University and heads NGO Monitor

Olmert faces massive new corruption investigation

Anshel Pfeffer — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:54:08 +0100

Police investigators believe that they are close to securing the testimony of a number of close associates of former prime minister Ehud Olmert in what is being described as the largest corruption case in Israeli history.

So far, the allegations against Mr Olmert have focused on millions of shekels in bribes that the investigators believe were paid to secure extensive building rights in the Holyland project in Jerusalem. The suspects include a group of building tycoons and senior officials in Jerusalem City Hall.

The massive Holyland apartment complex overlooks the Malcha mall and has been extensively criticised for obtruding on the landscape.

Police are also looking into claims that bribes were given to authorise other major building projects.

Mr Olmert will be questioned by police in the next few days. Sources close to the probe said they were "leaving him for the end, after we collect all the rest of the evidence we can and interrogate all his alleged accomplices".

So far, the most surprising arrest has been that of Uri Lupolianski, the former mayor of Jerusalem who in the decade that Mr Olmert was mayor (1993-2003) served as his deputy and chairman of the local planning commission.

The allegations against Mr Lupolianski include accepting bribes totalling NIS 3 million for approving planning permits for the Holyland apartment complex that exceeded the original building rights by 1,200 per cent.

Mr Lupolianski is not believed to have taken the money for his private use. Most of it was in the form of donations to his medical supply loan organisation, Yad Sarah. Two separate sums of $100,000 are alleged to have gone to a Kollel, or yeshivah for married men, run by his son; and to pay for his election campaign.

Mr Lupolianski has denied taking any bribes and said in a phone-interview with Channel 10 that "Olmert was the one who authorised all the building".

Mr Olmert, who was out of the country when the story broke, returned last Wednesday amid rumours that he would be arrested upon arrival. In a televised statement from his office, he denied ever receiving bribes and said that "the Holyland building plans were totally changed when I was no longer mayor. I had no part in it."

Police are planning to question him and Mr Lupolianski together in order to confront them with their conflicting statements.

So far nine men have been arrested, and some of them released to house-arrest. They include a current deputy mayor of Jerusalem and the former chief municipal engineer, who are also suspected of receiving bribes; three property developers alleged to have given the bribes; and three local political figures who allegedly acted as go-betweens.

One of those arrested, lawyer Uri Messer, is an old friend and former law-firm partner of Mr Olmert's, who is already the main state witness against him in the current graft case being tried at the Jerusalem District Court.

Mr Messer is said to be cooperating with the investigators and police are hoping to secure additional state witnesses from within Mr Olmert's inner circle, chief among them his former secretary and long-time confidant, Shula Zaken. Ms Zaken is currently out of Israel and has therefore not been questioned yet, but she is already Mr Olmert's co-defendant in the corruption trial.

Police are hoping to establish a pattern that will prove the existence of a network of bribery around Mr Olmert during his period both as mayor and trade and industry minister, through which businessmen obtained planning permits and development grants.

Olmert trial opens despite delay threat

Anshel Pfeffer — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:20:13 +0000

The trial of Israel's former prime minister, Ehud Olmert, was due to open on Thursday in the Jerusalem District Court. He is being charged over three separate cases of corruption.
Mr Olmert, who was forced to resign last year over the allegations, was indicted in September on charges of fraud, breach of trust, falsifying records, tax evasions and fraudulently obtaining benefits.

The State Prosecution has combined the three cases together. The first charge concerns American businessman Morris Talansky, who claims to have given Mr Olmert large sums of money which were not reported. The second concerns the Rishon Tours travel company. Mr Olmert is suspected of double-billing for appearances abroad and using the proceeds to finance travel overseas for him and his family. The third is the Investment Centre case, in which he was alleged as Trade and Industry Minister to favour clients of his former law office partner, Uri Messer, for government grants.

Mr Messer, who had the charges against him dropped two months ago, is expected to be a state witness. Mr Olmert will be joined in the dock by his personal assistant, Shula Zaken.

Jerusalem District Attorney Eli Abarbanel will lead the prosecution after the leading attorney on the case, his deputy Uri Korb, was suspended last week. It emerged that, three months ago during a lecture, Mr Korb had called judges "donkeys" and said they did not use common sense in court.

As a result of his suspension, the State Prosecution requested a three-month delay in the start of the trial, since Mr Korb had been the leading counsel and worked with police investigators for over a year. The court refused the request, and Mr Korb will be retained as adviser to the prosecutor's team.

Friends of Mr Korb accused the former prime minister's circle of being behind the leak at a crucial moment before the opening of the trial, a charge Mr Olmert's office rejected.

Navot Tel-Zur, a senior attorney on Mr Olmert's defence team, said that the defence would not be seeking a plea bargain and that they had ample evidence to refute the allegations.

Ehud Olmert: An ambitious career that collapsed in scandal

Simon Rocker — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Dogged by allegations of corruption, Ehud Olmert will bring his undistinguished premiership to an end after less than two-and-a-half years in office.

The son of a right-wing Herut parliamentarian, the former lawyer was one of a new breed of pragmatists who abandoned the Greater Israel ideology of his father's generation and accepted that peace with the Palestinians lay in territorial compromise. He was born in 1945 in Binyamina, a town near Haifa noted for its wine production, fittingly for a man with a pronounced taste for a good life, whose penchant for cigars signalled a more sophisticated style of Israeli than the warrior-politicians that bestrode the state in its formative years.

After entering the Knesset in 1973, he rose to become Minister without Portfolio in 1988, then Minister of Health in 1990, before chalking up his most notable political victory in 1993 when he unseated the seemingly invincible Teddy Kollek as Mayor of Jerusalem.

Ten years later, having resigned the mayoralty, he returned to the Knesset, assuming the role of Vice-Premier and first Trade, then in late 2005, Finance Minister.

In January 2006, Ariel Sharon's stroke propelled Olmert into power as acting Prime Minister, but although his Kadima party topped the polls two months later, its lacklustre performance showed that he still had much to do to win over the Israeli public.

Within months, the country was at war but despite the Winograd Report and the criticism of his handling of Israel's military misadventure in Lebanon two years ago, Olmert appeared to have seen off any challenge to his position.

But any hopes he might have had of redeeming his political reputation by clinching a peace deal with the Palestinians have been buried beneath the wads of cash he allegedly received from an American philanthropist - one of a number of corruption allegations that could yet see him indicted.

Now the race to succeed Olmert

Anshel Pfeffer — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz are neck-to-neck in the race to succeed Ehud Olmert as leader of Kadima and Prime Minister of Israel after his dramatic announcement that he would not be running in the Kadima primaries next month.

In a televised address on Wednesday night, Mr Olmert attacked his detractors and insisted once again that he was innocent of the corruption claims being investigated by the police.

"I have full and satisfactory answers," he said. "But I will not hold this discussion in the media or in press conferences, but in a fair and measured fight."

Mr Olmert announced that he would not be running in the Kadima primaries on September 17 and promised not to influence them in any way.

"When a new chairman is chosen for the party," he said, "I will resign from my post as prime minister to allow the new chairman to form another government quickly and efficiently."

The announcement came as a surprise. For the past three months, since details of the investigation into allegations of bribe-taking from US fundraiser Morris Talansky came to light, Mr Olmert insisted that he would resign only if indicted. Sources close to him were unaware of his plans until two hours before he went on air.

He reached the decision with his wife and children, though some of his confidantes have been advising him to choose his own date of departure to fight his legal battles without having to run the country.

Recent revelations in the six separate investigations into his financial affairs and the failure of his lawyers to demolish the preliminary testimony of Mr Talansky had led to the conclusion that an indictment was simply a matter of time.

Over the past few days Mr Olmert had expressed growing frustration at the breakdown of discipline in his ruling coalition, with members of all parties voting against the coalition line in the Knesset.

He apparently also found it impossible to work with Ms Livni as she stepped up her campaign to replace him.

This week she unveiled her campaign team, which included some of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's closest advisers.

For the past few months she has been seen as the clear front-runner in a possible Kadima leadership primary. But according to a poll published last Friday in Yediot Ahronot, Mr Mofaz was rapidly closing the gap.

The poll put Ms Livni on 38 per cent, just short of the 40 per cent needed to secure the nomination in the first round. Mr Mofaz was at 33 per cent and of the other two candidates, Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter was on 13 per cent and Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit eight per cent.

Party insiders believe that the gap between the two leading candidates could be even smaller as Mr Mofaz has been more active over the past few months, building up a campaign infrastructure and closing deals with local party bosses and union leaders.

By Israeli law, once Mr Olmert resigns, the new Kadima leader will have four weeks to form a coalition that will support him or her as prime minister. Failing that, the candidate will receive an extension of two weeks and if a new government is not sworn in, Israel will hold elections in 90 days.

An ambitious career that collapsed in scandal

Daniella Peled's analysis

What's next for Kadima - and Israel?

Daniella Peled — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Politically, Ehud Olmert has been a dead man walking for months. Having survived the damaging fallout of the Second Lebanon War and astonishingly dismal approval ratings, it has been the latest corruption allegations that precipitated his terminal decline.

But so great has been his tenaciousness throughout his career - having joined the Knesset in 1974, he is the Israeli parliament's most veteran member - that until the last moment before Wednesday's hastily arranged press conference, Israeli reporters were still not certain he would actually be announcing his de facto resignation.

They speculated instead that he might be about to reveal a dramatic breakthrough with the Syrians or the Palestinians. But Olmert knew it was over, and that he could either jump now or be ignominiously ejected in a matter of weeks.

So the Olmert era has ended. The fight will now begin as to whom will take over Kadima, the party founded by former premier Ariel Sharon as the political "big bang" to establish a centrist Israeli party.

This is not going to be an ideological battle, as there is precious little ideological content to Kadima. It is going to be all about the power struggle between the two front-runners: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz.

Livni is on the doveish side of Kadima, supports the negotiations with Syria and has developed a good relationship with Ahmed Qurei, her Palestinian negotiating counterpart.

She has made her presence felt on the international stage, where she is considered a serious player by foreign dignitaries who are rather delighted by her brief past as a Mossad agent.

Livni will make much of her "Ms Clean" image within the party, as well as the fact that polls indicate the Israeli public see her as the most electable candidate.

Mofaz, on the other hand, is a hawk who made headlines with dire warnings of an "inevitable" Israeli military strike on Iran some months ago. But his past as an IDF Chief-of-Staff and Defence Minister give him serious security credentials.

Although he only began his political career five years ago, he has the operating skills of an old-guard Likudnik, building up support from local power-brokers and lobbyists.

Theoretically, whoever wins the Kadima primaries will go on to form a new coalition when the Knesset returns in October. That is likely to be a remake of the present coalition with Labour, whose leader and current Defence Minister Ehud Barak is keen to avoid elections.

Although he did manage to gain some credibility by demanding Kadima replace Olmert, Barak is dangerously weak, having failed to boost his party's ratings throughout his tenure.

Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu would love to see elections as soon as possible, as all the polls indicate that, if they were held now, he would be the biggest winner.

And he could be the biggest loser if a smooth transition ensures a new and stable Kadima-led coalition, which would leave him sidelined and frustrated for another two years.

Even worse, if Livni becomes Prime Minister, Netanyahu will have to suffer the indignity of being leapfrogged by the woman to whom he gave her first public position as head of the state-owned companies authority, 12 years ago.

All he can do is either bolster Mofaz's candidacy - as a right-winger, he would likely bring the Likud back into the government - or try to derail a Livni administration by persuading Shas to bolt.

Moribund as it is, the peace process is also set to suffer from the current turmoil and political machinations.

Any meaningful negotiations with either Syria or the Palestinians are unlikely in this state of flux, and even after the new appointments are made there is no guarantee of an automatic resumption.

And then there is Iran's nuclear programme; a top priority across the Israeli political spectrum and the top issue for the next prime minister, whoever he or she will be.

But the key to progress will be the stability of any governing coalition. It is unlikely that we will have to wait for new elections until they are due in 2010.

Extracts from his farewell speech

Now is the time in which I must make a decision. I do not make it out of a feeling that I cannot fulfil my duties. I believe with all my heart in my ability to continue to serve, the same as I believe in my innocence... but the mudslinging crusade which is being conducted against me, even by decent people who are truly concerned for the state and its image, brings up a question that I cannot and will not avoid. What is more important? My personal justice, or the public good? My personal justice is very important to me...but in choosing between considerations relating to my status and my ability to fight for my truth, and the considerations of what is best for the country- it is the latter that decide.

As a citizen in a democracy I have always believed that when a person is elected Prime Minister in Israel, it is the duty even of those who opposed him in the ballot to want him to succeed. But instead of gaining this basic trust, I found myself subjected to a wave of investigations and criticism immediately upon assuming office.

Almost from day one, I had to repel vicious attacks as I was making critical decisions that are pertinent to the security of Israel and its existence. I am the prime minister and am naturally a target in political struggles.

But any intelligent person will understand that things have been blown completely out of proportion. Have I made mistakes throughout my long years of activity? Definitely yes and I regret them and am sorry for them. But is the true picture being presented to the public? Definitely not.

I want to make this clear: I am proud to be a citizen in a nation in which a prime minister can be investigated like any citizen. The prime minister is not above the law, but he is in no way below it.

Case against Olmert ‘very strong’ after key witness gives evidence

Anshel Pfeffer — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz must now decide whether to indict Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over the alleged bribes he received from Morris Talansky, after the American fundraiser ended five days in the dock with his version of events intact.

Despite appearing at times shaken and confused during the cross-examination, the main facts of his testimony have not been changed. Mr Olmert allegedly received money through Mr Talansky on at least three separate occasions and he also covered the expenses of Mr Olmert and his wife’s stay in Washington in October 2005.

“Not only has the defence failed to change Talansky’s testimony on these matters,” a member of the state prosecution team told the JC, “but we have in addition the testimony of Uri Messer [Mr Olmert’s lawyer] and documents that prove it all, so our case is still looking very strong.”

Mr Talansky insisted throughout the preliminary questioning that the money was not intended as a bribe and he had no knowledge of its use. At the end of his five-day ordeal, he told the JC: “I am hurt and confused at everything I have had to go through but I did what I came to do, tell the truth.”

A senior Justice Ministry official told the JC: “The Attorney-General will be making a decision on whether to indict in the very near future. He realises that with a case involving the Prime Minister, we can’t wait around too long.”

The Talansky case is just one of six investigations into Mr Olmert’s finances that the Attorney-General must decide, but the official said that the clear evidence meant it will be the first in which a decision will be reached. Mr Olmert has promised that he will resign if indicted.

Meanwhile, Mr Olmert will have to announce by the end of July whether he plans to run in the Kadima leadership primaries in September. The Kadima party is being held to ransom by Labour, which has threatened to leave the coalition unless the ruling party appoints a new leader who will also become prime minister. Mr Olmert begrudgingly agreed to the primaries but has not yet said whether he plans to run. An announcement that he will not run is expected now that his lawyers have failed to turn the tide and will be tantamount to an admission that he intends to resign.