Fraud and Corruption - A Tradition Amongst Israel's Leadership |
| Arnon Milchan, left, and Benjamin Netanyahu on March 28, 2005. (Flash90) |
It would seem that Netanyahu is on record as having agreed favours to a business in return for political support. He has also admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in cigars and other luxuries. His wife Sarah drank the finest champagnes courtesy of 'friends'. Why is this of no surprise. Israel’s previous Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is currently in prison for bribery and corruption and ex-President Moshe Katsav has just come out of prison, not for corruption but rape and sexual assault. The Present Interior Minister Aryeh Deri of Shas served three years in prison for corruption when he was previously a Minister.
The extreme corruption of Israel’s political layers is just the other side of the coin from their racism and brutality.
However, despite the Police investigations it is possible that with the help of his friend Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, that he will yet avoid prosecution.
However, despite the Police investigations it is possible that with the help of his friend Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, that he will yet avoid prosecution.
Tony Greenstein
Taking gifts from ‘sugar daddy’ is corruption, ex-Labor leader says of Netanyahu
Opposition politicians criticize PM’s conduct as police probe his receipt of costly cigars, other alleged favors, from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan
By Times of Israel staff January 7, 2017,
Zionist Union MK Shelly Yachimovich criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday for taking gifts from a “sugar daddy,” after police questioned the Israeli leader for allegedly accepting expensive cigars for years from Hollywood producer and businessman Arnon Milchan, as well as more goods from a second businessman.
“The prime minister had a sugar daddy for expensive products; that is the definition of corruption,”
Yachimovich, a former leader of the Labor party, said at an event in Tel Aviv, according to Israel Radio.
At a different event Saturday in Modi’in, fellow Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni lashed out at Netanyahu as well, saying bitterly that an Israeli prime minister must decide “whether he wants to be a prime minister or an oligarch.”
Instead of concentrating on what he can give to the public, Netanyahu evidently focuses on what the public can give to him, she charged. Netanyahu “has lost the moral right to be prime minister,” Livni said.
Meretz head MK Zehava Galon joined in, asserting that the initial details of the investigation should cause serious concern for Israelis.
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| Hatnua’s Tzipi Livni shakes hands with Labor Party leader Shelly Yachimovich in November 2012 (photo credit: Yossi Zeliger/Flash90) |
“Getting a monthly allowance amounting to hundreds of thousands of shekels over the years from Arnon Milchan is not a gift among friends, it’s a disturbing package deal,” Galon said.
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| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara (C) and their son Yair seen with actress Kate Hudson at an event held at the home of producer Arnon Milchan (right), March 6, 2014. (Avi Ohayon/GPO/Flash90) |
Netanyahu was questioned by police under caution on Thursday evening for five hours — the second such session in four days — as the corruption investigation against him gathered pace. Among the issues reportedly discussed was his alleged acceptance of cigars worth hundreds of thousands of shekels from Milchan, and his wife Sara’s acceptance of pink champagne worth hundreds of shekels a bottle.
Police were also investigating a second case involving Netanyahu, though details surrounding the probe have not yet been released to the public. A source told Channel 2 news that this case, reportedly known as Case 2,000, would cause “a public storm” and “public anger” but would not necessarily lead to an indictment. It involved an Israeli businessman, the source said, who had sought to provide benefits to the Israeli leader in return for receiving certain perks.
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Attorney Yaakov Weinroth on Channel 2’s “Meet the Press,” November 26, 2016. (screen capture) |
Channel 10 reported a similar sentiment from investigative officials, with the broadcaster’s reporters being told the case was “juicy” and publicly harmful, but was complex and not straightforward as far as the law was concerned.
Channel 10 said the businessman was a “central” Israeli figure who wanted Netanyahu to “take a certain decision,” and would reward him in turn, and that it was not clear whether Netanyahu had taken the decision.
TV reports Friday night said that more witnesses will be questioned in the next few days, and then a decision will be made on whether to question Netanyahu a third time.
Netanyahu’s lawyer on Friday dismissed the seriousness of the Milchan probe. Yaakov Weinroth rejected the notion that there was anything criminal in the prime minister’s actions and said he had nothing to fear from the second case either. Weinroth, who consulted with his client at the end of Thursday’s questioning, said “there is nothing to the allegations” as regards Milchan’s gifts. “Any reasonable person knows that there is nothing remotely criminal involved when a close friend gives his friend a gift of cigars.”
As for the second case, Weinroth said that he has heard Netanyahu’s answers and “I was and I remain calm… We’re not talking about money, we’re not talking about loans, we’re not talking about anything that constitutes a crime.” It will become clear to all, he added, that there is “no suspicion, no trace, of a criminal offense in all of this.”
Police have said a second, unnamed suspect has also been interrogated in recent days. Some reports indicated this second individual was Milchan.
Police said they could not provide further details on the second corruption case due to concerns about possible obstructions of justice. They did not elaborate. Haaretz said police investigators warned Netanyahu on Thursday not to discuss the case with other suspects, because this could constitute obstruction of justice.
Netanyahu’s office made no official comment on Thursday night, but the prime minister has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. In a three-hour interview with police on Monday, Netanyahu acknowledged that he had received gifts from businessmen, but insisted they were entirely legal,
Weinroth said Tuesday.
Channel 2 news reported that Netanyahu received the cigars from Milchan over the last 7-8 years. Sara received bottles of Dom Perignon pink champagne worth hundreds of shekels apiece during that period, the TV report said. It specified that the cigars included Cohiba Sigla V, Trinidad and Montecristo, and said each such cigar cost some 250 shekels (about $65).
Netanyahu is known as a connoisseur of fine cigars, and Channel 2 asserted the prime minister smokes 15,000-20,000 shekels’ worth of them each month.
Some 50 people are said to have testified to date in the probe.
Sources close to Netanyahu have pointed out that Milchan — whose films include “Fight Club” and
“Pretty Woman” — sits on the board of Channel 10, which the prime minister has previously tried to shutter.
Channel 10 is also partially owned by US billionaire and World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, who has also been questioned by police in connection with the case. Lauder, whose family founded the Estee Lauder cosmetics giant, has long been seen as an ally of Netanyahu.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who is overseeing the investigation against Netanyahu, has said the prime minister is suspected of “receiving improper benefits from businessmen.” He has provided few other details.
Netanyahu has also acknowledged receiving money from French tycoon Arnaud Mimran, who was sentenced to eight years in prison in France over a scam involving the trade of carbon emissions permits and taxes on them.
The Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu received $40,000 in contributions from Mimran in 2001, when he was not in office, as part of a fund for public activities, including appearances abroad to promote Israel.
AFP contributed to this report. See also Police said to have recordings of Netanyahu, businessman discussing ‘quid pro quo’