Israel PM likely to be indicted on charges of fraud

Friday, November 28, 2008 at 6:11 am under World News Israel PM likely to be indicted on charges of fraud

For the first time in the history of Israel, a sitting Prime Minister is likely to be indicted on charges of fraud,breach of trust and tax evasion that have led to calls that he declare himself incapacitated immediately.

Israel’s Attorney General Menachem Mazuzhas informed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he would likely be indicted for allegedly using state funds from multiple public bodies to finance private family trips abroad.

A Justice Ministry statement said that Mazuz had told Olmert that the charges under consideration stemmed from allegations that he submitted duplicate billing of travel expenses while serving in previous posts.

“[Mazuz] is considering bringing criminal charges regarding suspicions of various violations as part of the Rishon Tours affair,” the statement said, referring to the name of the travel agency embroiled in the affair.

The Prime Minister has the legal right to ask the Attorney General for a hearing before a final decision on the matter is taken.

If the charges against Olmert are proven he may have to serve a seven years sentence after having already paida hugeprice by resigning from office under a public furore.

Olmert is suspected of paying forhis own and his family’s private flights through money obtained fraudulently from public bodies while serving as mayor of Jerusalem andMinister forIndustry, Trade and Labour between 2003and 2006.

All of the sponsoringorganisations that paid Olmert’s travel bills through Rishon Tours believed thattheir contributions were covering Olmert’s working trips abroad, and were not aware that they were allactually financing the same flights.

The police are focusing on at least 12 flights that Olmert had taken while serving in previous positions.

While Olmert allegedly received state funding for work trips, his flight coordinator Rachel Risby-Raz and former bureau chief Shula Zaken asked one or more other public bodies to finance the same flights.

The surplus money in Olmert’s Rishon Tours accountis said to have been used to pay for his family members’ private flights.

The Attorney General’s announcement led to calls from across the political spectrum that the Prime Minister declare himself incapacitated with immediate effect.

“This is a tragic day for the state of Israel and a low point like none we’ve ever seen. Olmert must immediately declare himself incapacitated, as he has promised publicly and explicitly. A person accused by the state of criminal offenses cannot be allowed to continue to serve as prime minister,” Labour party lawmaker, Ophir Pines-Paz said.

Left wing lawmakerZahava Gal-On (Meretz party) and right wing’s Zevulun Orlev (National Union-NRP party) also called on Olmert to step down immediately.

“Every day during which he is still in power is unwarranted because he has no public or moral authority to make political advances,” Gal-On said.

“In the two months that remain until the general elections Olmert could make fateful decisions for the wrong reasons, and therefore he must step down immediately,” Orlev stressed.

(Agencies)

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