Uncensored News from Israel » corruption

Real Israeli-Palestinian relations are cozy

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:48:58 +0000

While the Israeli and Palestinian public wonder about the prospects for the peace process, the oligarchs have made their peace with our enemies.

Idan Ofer, one of the oligarchs who profited enormously from under-the-table privatization, welcomed at his house a crowd of top Israeli managers and Palestinian PM Fayad to discuss further business.

Idan Ofer is a frequent donor to ultraleft causes.

FBI entraps Israeli arms dealers

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:37:07 +0000

FBI agents, posing as representatives of an African government, offered Israeli arms dealers a contract on the condition that they receive a 20% kickback. Ofer Paz and others were subsequently arrested in Las Vegas.

Every single arms deal in Africa is conditioned on kickbacks. Do we have to watch over their morality?

Israeli crimes are not for Americans

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:41:50 +0000

Congressman Gary Ackerman reportedly aided an American businessman meeting with Israeli officials. At most, he is accused of violating the House ethics rules. For Olmert, a similar assistance to Talansky resulted in criminal prosecution.

Another mayor is in trouble

ralyjones25 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:05:33 +0000

Police arrested the mayor of Bat Yam on vague corruption charges: understandably, he helped his brother’s business. The list of charges against the mayor includes paying a traffic ticket with municipal funds.

Who even needs to speak of such petty corruption when the prime minister bribes the entire Knesset?

AG prepares to prosecute Olmert

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:33:03 +0000

The State Attorney’s Office announced that it won’t indict Uri Messer, Olmert’s key associate in the corruption cases. Messer is not technically a government employee, though he is still vulnerable to bribery charges.

The prosecution means to use Messer as a witness against Olmert, and the absence of an indictment will make his testimony more credible.

Netanyahu wants a corrupt Attorney General

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:49:44 +0000

After Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann alienated the judicial establishment by pushing for its reform, hopes were high for his replacement, the soft-spoken Yaakov Neeman. Predictably, the quarrel proved to be about power rather than personalities, and Neeman even failed to split the Attorney General’s functions as the government’s legal advisor and chief prosecutor. Under the current arrangement the Attorney General virtually controls the government, which has to abide by his opinions.

Netanyahu refused to support the split because he will soon appoint a new Attorney General, and wants the most powers for his man.

Olmert milked donors, Barak – government

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:15:55 +0000

Ehud Barak and 15 friends, including his wife, spent $96,000 of the government’s money for hotel expenses while attending a military show in Paris.

Though negligible by the real-world standards of foreign politicians, Barak’s affair is more problematic than Olmert’s who billed his donors for hotel expenses.

Having seen the recent stream of revelations about Barak, leftists are unhappy with him.

Racism: What blacks can, whites cannot

admin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:58:45 +0000

Rabbi Meir Kahane condemned the racism of the Jewish establishment, which lashed out against white anti-Semites but not black ones, lest they be accused of racism. For the rabbi, people were good on their own merits, regardless of their skin color.

Israeli politicians remain silent in the face of Yediot Aharonot’s revelation of massive corruption on the part the only Ethiopian MK, Molla, who pocketed money from Jewish and Christian charities. He is also known for demanding that the government lift the ban on pedophilia and allow Ethiopians to marry 12-year-old brides.

Barak guilty of Lieberman’s crimes

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:03:49 +0000

The Haaretz published allegations against Ehud Barak that are similar to the charges against Lieberman.

Just like Lieberman, Barak received millions of shekels for consulting services while serving in the government. Both Barak’s and Lieberman’s companies are nominally owned by their families.

Olmert is charged with the similar crime of aiding Talansky in exchange for donations.

Police invent charges against Lieberman

admin — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:48:26 +0000

After the fifth interrogation of the FM, the strongest police charge against him is obstructing justice. Lieberman attempted to change his companies’ names in order to mislead the investigators. It is impossible, however, to prove his malicious intent.

The other charge is money laundering, which would be really hard to prove because the police cannot show that the money came from illegitimate sources.

It seems that police failed to prove that money from Cyprus accounts ended up in the Lieberman campaign’s coffers.

Though Lieberman will likely be indicted, the charges against him are very weak.

Criminal sequel ‘Olmert-2′

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:23:07 +0000

After Olmert’s departure, the police were left without a prime minister to investigate. But now they have the next-best thing—the Foreign Minister. Just a day after Lieberman pompously attended the inauguration of the police minister, the Fraud Squad interrogated the FM for eight hours.

The allegations against Lieberman are true, but he is being singled out for prosecution: every major political party launders money for election campaigns.

The leftist establishment will keep Lieberman tied up with the police investigation to secure political concessions from him. Considering that Sharon and Olmert both gave in to the same kind of pressure, it is unlikely that Lieberman will be able to resist.

Olmert free to go

admin — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:21:41 +0000

Police ended their investigation of the Israeli PM over the Jerusalem apartment affair. As we expected, no charges will be filed.
Olmert might have behaved unethically in buying an apartment below market value, but he provided the seller with no services which would qualify the purchase as a bribe.

Ending the investigation is the leftists’ gift to Olmert on account of his departure from the office.

Tender corruption: Toyota against Honda

admin — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:15:58 +0000

Despite the economic crisis, which has forced the government to borrow money from foreign sources, it seeks to purchase new cars—the most expensive hybrid variety. The new tender binds all government agencies and municipalities to procure a single model of hybrid car.

The tender is structured to benefit Israel’s monopolist Toyota distributor. The new Honda Insight hybrid, which is way cheaper, is two inches shorter than required by the tender’s terms.

Corruption in IDF purchases

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:37:33 +0000

IDF has procured about fifty Sand Cat battlefield-class ATVs manufactured in kibbutz Sasa by Plasan Co. But the purchase went through Delek Motors, a well-connected monopolist Ford importer, which supplies chassis for the Sand Cat.

Another stupid investigation against Olmert

admin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:02:57 +0000

State Comptroller Lindenstrauss accused Olmert of pushing the Finance Ministry to issue a $3 million loan to Jerusalem Engineering College many years ago. Lindenstrauss ignores the normality of such practice.

The recently approved US bailout bill allocates tens of billions of dollars to various lobbying projects, but somehow Obama is not accused of corruption.

What judges can, Olmert cannot

admin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:45:30 +0000

Attorney General Mazuz has accepted an unofficial plea-bargin with Judge Dalia Mark-Goranchik from Tel Aviv. In addition to her crimes of fraud, breach of trust, and probably embezzlement, Mark-Goranchik purchased a foreclosed apartment below market-value from an accomplice whom she had appointed to handle foreclosures. Under terms of the the plea deal, Mark-Goranchik resigns, with no charges filed.

Olmert was prosecuted for purchasing an underpriced apartment under less suspicious circumstances.

PM’s residence more important than all schools

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:38:09 +0000

The government has approved $200 million for a new residence for the prime minister. The project will save taxpayers $5 million a year currently being spent on shuttling prime minister from his residence to the office and back. Instead of cutting back on the whopping $17,000-a-day escort service, the government builds him a combined residence-office compound. As usual, the cost will be two to three times the original estimate.

During the cabinet meeting, the Education Minister noted that this amount would suffice to renovate every school in Israel.

In 2008, the government rejected calls to reinforce Sderot schools against Kassam fire, claiming it lacked the required $200 million.

The Kadima government must have lost the touch with reality, to pass such a scandalous allocation two days before the elections.

Tourism Minister smuggled whiskey

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:57:13 +0000

Kadima Minister Ruhama Avraham-Balilah was fined $720 in Ben Gurion Airport for attempting to smuggle four bottles of whiskey.

Olmert interrogated on political appointments

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:55:27 +0000

Police conducted their thirteenth interrogation of Israel’s PM, questioning him about the political cronies he apponted during his tenure in the Trade Ministry.

If that’s a crime, every Israeli minister belongs in jail.

Leftist establishment scores a win against Olmert

admin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:05:42 +0000

As the corruption case against Olmert falls apart, Israeli prosecutors have secured the US Justice Department’s agreement to grant Talansky partial immunity in order to force him to testify against Olmert.

Despite its earlier reluctance, the Justice Department offered Talansky immunity just days after Hillary Clinton installed herself in the White House. Barak, a great friend of the Clintons, profits from the Olmert investigation as many of Kadima’s votes flow to Avodah.

Doctor charged with submitting to mafia boss

admin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 10:36:36 +0000

The conviction of Dr. Jacky Sarov is unusual even by warped Israeli standards of justice. Dr. Sarov, head of Ichilov Hospital’s emergency room, repeatedly accepted mafia boss Assi Abutbul for treatment without appointment. To show his gratitude, Abutbul gave Dr. Sarov $200-300 each time.

The court expected the mafia boss to wait in line for his turn at the hospital and the doctor to bravely reject his gifts.

Election campaign continues: Lieberman’s daughter arrested

admin — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 10:30:37 +0000

After the Kadima-Avodah government successfully bolstered their election results with their Gaza operation, they faced unintended consequences. Their refusal to finish the operation by destroying Hamas boosted the popularity of Lieberman’s Israeli Beitenu Party, which demanded that IDF stay in Gaza to finish off Hamas.

The leftist establishment resorted to its usual tactic for dealing with political opponents: police persecution. For years, police dragged out various corruption allegations against Lieberman without indicting him on any of them. Lieberman went to court and got an order for the police to either charge him or stop the harassment. Days before the elections, police arrested his daughter Michal Lieberman and several other people connected with Israel Beitenu on corruption, money laundering, and fraud charges.

The investigation against Michal Lieberman began a year ago; the next day Avigdor left Olmert’s government.

Lieberman’s cohorts are no less corrupt than Avodah and Kadima—but no more so than them, either. Naturally, politicians take money for election campaigns and do something in return. Some allegations against Lieberman are ridiculous, such as a charge that ten years ago he used his connections with the Russian mafia to stabilize the falling ruble in return for a kickback from an Austrian bank. Other charges relate to equally old events.

The arrests will only improve Lieberman’s election results as the voters see that the establishment is afraid of him.

Olmert interrogated about nothing

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:47:42 +0000

The leftist establishment is keeping pressure on Olmert with fake investigations, as it did with Sharon, Katsav, and many others. Despite promises to bring charges, none have been filed against Olmert. After the fourth interrogation, police claimed their case against Olmert was solid, but here’s the eleventh deposition.

This time, Olmert was questioned in regard to political appointments in the Ministry of Trade. If that’s a crime, then every Israeli prime minister, all ministers, and most MKs belong in jail.

Well-connected companies will receive subsidies

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:35:06 +0000

The Israeli Finance Ministry approved a $50 million aid package to start-up companies. As the procedure for receiving subsidies is daunting, only those with good connections in high places are practically eligible.
The earmarked amount is way too small to keep the companies afloat during the crisis, and will mostly serve as a conduit for kickbacks.

Olmert eyes a $3 mil villa in Tel Aviv

admin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:07:05 +0000

Olmert’s wife, an ultra-leftist named Aliza, inspected a number of properties. Not a bad deal for a man who couldn’t pay his hotel bills without Talansky’s assistance. Is this a bonus for leaving the government?

Police is not so sure about Olmert’s charges

admin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:51:41 +0000

Olmert’s seventh interrogation centered around the old story of him buying a family house in Jerusalem below the market price. That investigation was previously abandoned because Olmert, then a mayor, did not reciprocate the seller (a contractor) with any illegal privileges but merely expedited his lawful request.
The widening scope of investigations indicates that police fails to bring solid charges against Olmert on Talansky’s affairs and heaps weak charges in the hope of a plea bargain.

State Comptroller slams Olmert for everyone’s misdoing

admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:34:34 +0000

Lindenstrauss dug out an old 2004 Aquaria affair where a group of corrupt American businessmen sought Israeli government’s funding for a moribund amusement park project near Eilat. Olmert, sure enough, pushed for the Aquaria – but so did other ministers, particularly of Tourism, Internal Affairs, and Israeli Lands Administration.

Police have hard time with Olmert

admin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:54:39 +0000

Despite the numerous announcements of a ready indictment, police interrogated Olmert for the sixth time, for 3.5 hours over Talansky and the Investment Center affairs.
Talansky, charged in the US, has refused to testify in Israel. As for the Investment Center, the tough Israeli State Comptroller investigated the allegations and found mere conflict of interest which is not a crime. If everyone who ever had a conflict of interest were dismissed from the government, only janitors would be left there.

Talansky’s credibility completely destroyed

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:52:08 +0000

during the five-day examination by Olmert’s lawyers. Talansky is shown to lie on every issue, invent the facts, and guess wildly.
The only remaining accusation is Talansky’s guaranteeing Likud’s $300,000 loan in Jerusalem municipal elections, a common and minor transgression by Israeli political standards.
Even so, Kadima braces for primaries to remove Olmert.

New charges against Olmert

admin — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:18:12 +0000

Police investigates Israeli prime minister on receiving donations from multiple sources to pay for the same trips. Olmert allegedly pocketed the difference.
It remains unclear what that has to do with public interest. Whether Olmert used donations for his trips or clothes, state prosecution has nothing to do with that as no damage to the state has occured.
Though the private sources include institutions such as Yad Vashem and Simon Wiesenthal Center, they were wrong to finance Olmert’s trips in the first place, in clear violation of their charter.
The investigations against Olmert have long exceeded the boundary of idiocy. Hunting the prime minister with irrelevant allegations at the time of Iranian nuclear crisis constitutes sabotage. Ultra-leftist Peres-Beilin-Mazuz establishment want to force Olmert on his knees just as they did to Sharon before the Gush Katif withdrawal. Upon retiring, police chief Moshe Karadi confirmed that Israeli police is routinely used for politically motivated investigations with no prospect in the court.
It is so absurd to listen about Olmert’s corruption from Israeli media which are only interested in scandals and lack any concern for the Jewish state, or from the politicians who play the ultimate corruption of pandering to Israeli Arab voters.

Licensing Authority commands Gaydamak to sell his radio station

admin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:29:43 +0000

because Gaydamak can use possibly use the media for political purposes.
All large parties have their nominees in the public media and use them extensively and free for rabid self-promotion during election season.

Barak accused of Olmert’s crimes

admin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:59:07 +0000

Shmuel Levi, Barak’s campaign manager in 1999, walked into the police office and revealed criminal details of the Labor’s campaign. According to Levi, he received cartons full of money to bribe voters and influential figures.
The revelations are orchestrated by Olmert who employs Barak’s election chief, Levi’s friend, as an adviser.

Hanegbi: Nepotism is welcome

admin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:41:20 +0000

Knesset Member Tzahi Hanegbi is singled out for prosecution for political appointments. Israel is plagued by this practice. In the Histadrut trade union enterprises, 40 to 80% of administrative posts fall to relatives of the bureaucrats in place. Typical Jewish clannishness in conjunction with socialism and corruption turned ugly.
Hanegbi, as a Minister for Environment, appointed many relatives and children of fellow Likudniks (he’s now in Kadima) into the managing positions. According to Hanegbi, he somehow thought it was good that children of Likud bosses wanted to join civil service. Of course, they wanted sinecures rather than service. So Hanegbi now faces a choice of being convicted for fraud or stupidity.

A bad day for Israeli mayors

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:38:56 +0000

Police interrogated mayors of Sderot, Petah Tikva, Ramat ha-Sharon on various criminal charges.

Police suggests Olmert took bribes from Talansky

admin — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:03:06 +0000

At the most, Olmert diverted some campaign donations for personal use. That is the common practice among politicians, and the line between campaign and personal expenses is often blurred.
But the critical criterion of bribe is the misuse of official position in return for payment. Olmert is not reported to have made any favors to Talansky at Israel’s expense.
It is ludicrous to speak of Olmert’s embezzlement of campaign donations after, say, Barak and Lieberman gave the Gaza offshore gas field to Arafat to pass it to British Gas in circumvention of Israel’s tender regulations.

State Comptroller searches for Peres’ billion

admin — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:47:12 +0000

Israel State Comptroller prepared the largest-ever report on government’s misdoings.
Shimon Peres as the Galilee and Negev Development Minister collected one billion shekels of private donations in 2006 for rebuilding Israeli north after the rocket attacks – but Lindenstrauss found no traces of that money. Presidential elections are not cheap, apparently.
State Comptroller points out massive corruption and inefficiency in Livni’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Israeli government brought 140,000 Ethiopians, mostly Christians, into the country, but does nothing to assimilate them into Israeli society. Those rootless immigrants turn into criminals.
Even the State Comptroller is concerned with dwindling discipline in Israeli schools and its effects on deteriorating education.
The government fails to stop infiltration by African migrants into Israel, and at least 5,000 of them claimed refugee status (only 0.4% of them were recognized as refugees).
Lindenstrauss addressed a notorious problem of prefabricated houses the government purchased for the 1990s immigrants from the USSR. The prefab houses are junk, unsuitable for living, purchased at inflated prices. The government spent a quarter of $40 million earmarked for repairing those houses for court expenses.

Kadima minister interrogated on corruption charges

admin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:31:10 +0000

Ruhama Avraham suspected of illegally aiding an agricultural company which paid for her trip to the US and Europe.

Major new gas pipeline is too narrow

admin — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:37:31 +0000

Israel’s major gas pipeline from El Arish to Ashkelon won’t be able to supply the required volume of natural gas. The damages amount to $500 million. Obviously, the idea was to make the pipeline narrow in order to build yet another pipe, just as with Ashdod-Ashkelon pipe: it, too, was built too narrow and eventually augmented by the underwater pipeline.
Israel gave El Arish gas field to Egypt under Camp David “peace” treaty, and Ashkelon offshore gas field to Fatah under Barak-Lieberman-Arafat deal.

Jewish organizations pay for Netanyahu’s hair styling

admin — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:08:15 +0000

Ex-business consultant Netanyahu filed a libel suit against Israeli TV station which implied that he fled to London during the 2006 Lebanon war where he spent more than $30,000 of public funds in six days on personal matters, such as $1,300 for laundry. Netanyahu objects on two technicalities. First, he conducted some kind of pro-Israeli propaganda in London – presumably, in the hotel bar where he left $1,000+ bill. Second, his expenses were paid not by the Israeli public, but by the Diaspora Jews. Next time you think of donating to your local Jewish organization, ask if they plan to invite Netanyahu, all expenses paid.

Quite a pay for the lousy job

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:46:25 +0000

As a result of his indictment on less-than-rape charges, former Israeli president Katsav will lose about $300,000 of annual benefits. Top Israeli officials receive that much in pension benefits.

Two vice-mayors of Jerusalem employed by Levaev

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:07:43 +0000

Lev Levaev’s Africa-Israel corporation is engaged in numerous construction projects in Jerusalem.

Peres is above law

admin — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:09:10 +0000

Israel’s State Comptroller Lindenstrauss complains to the Knesset that Shimon Peres’ (presidential) office refused disclosing its financial affairs, which are doubtlessly dirty.

Lieberman sold Israel in private capacity

admin — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:29:48 +0000

Israeli investigative journalist Yoav Yitzhak published secret police materials concerning numerous criminal investigations of Avigdor Lieberman. Concerning his meeting with PLO leadership to lobby the interests of Jewish mogul Martin Schlaff, Lieberman testified that it happened after he left Likud and before forming his own Israel Beitenu party.

Haredi growth 40 times the secular

admin — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:47:07 +0000

According to State Comptroller, the number of pupils in ultra-Orthodox schools grew by 141% from 1992, while in the same period enrollment in state schools increased by mere 3.6%.
The Comptroller also noted the total lack of control over the school construction funds allocated by the government to haredim.
Oddly, the Jewish State’s Comptroller is also concerned about the supposedly inadequate school facilities for Israeli Arabs. Any number of schools is too much for the future terrorists.

Israeli president is unsatiable

admin — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 12:53:06 +0000

Peres Peace Center is a well-known money laundering establishment which launders hundreds of millions of dollars in European grants to Arabs and the peace process. The peace center’s offshoot issued a “study” asserting that solving the Arab refugee problem would cost up to 85 billion dollars. That’s $40,000 per “refugee” or $300,000 per average family in the Palestinian refugee camps. In reality, given ten percent of that amount, they would abandon the refugee camps and settle the moon.

State Comptroller quantifies nepotism

admin — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 21:27:08 +0000

Israeli quasi-socialist state companies are a stereotype of inefficiency, corruption, and trade unionism. Israel State Comptroller reports widespread nepotism, with figures of corruptly appointed officials ranging from 13% in Railway Department to 44% in the sea port of Ashdod.

Israel’s top officials live tax-free

admin — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:20:24 +0000

According to the Treasury’s Zelekha, they don’t even pay taxes. Just like the Israeli Arabs.

Peres sets out to help Fatah

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:03:58 +0000

In order to finance the Fatah gangsters, Peres and Abbas signed an agreement to establish industrial zones in the Arab-occupied Judea. Industrial zones are the Peres’ favorite way of money laundering. His peace foundation receives grants for business development, which are happily stolen. Peres similarly invested in Gaza through his own foundation before transferring the money in the excess of $40 million to a Canadian front company which was supposed to invest in Gaza.

Israeli police braces for Annapolis peace conference

admin — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:31:44 +0000

Fraud Squad raided dozens of locations in search of documents incriminating Ehud Olmert. Israeli police, staffed exclusively by leftists from the mid-level and up, routinely blackmails Israeli politicians with phony charges. The family members of Ariel Sharon were charged with corruption to make Sharon do the left’s bidding and destroy Jewish villages in Gaza. Now Peres & Co blackmails Olmert.

Police probes Barak

admin — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:34:17 +0000

Israeli police opened investigation into voting fraud surrounding Barak’s elections in primaries. Barak was elected on Arab votes in isolated villages. The Labor’s election committee chief requested the probe.