PM Olmert Implicated in Questionable Land Deal
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In the latest scandal linking the Israeli leader to government corruption, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert allegedly intervened in 2004 beyond his position as then-industry and trade minister in the sale of a port that was greatly undervalued using questionable methods, according to a state comptroller’s report.
Israeli Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss also slammed the country’s police and the attorney general, Menachem Mazuz, for the “ease and frequency” of decisions to dismiss criminal complaints without investigation. Mazuz many times has closed corruption investigations on government officials, including Olmert.
Lindenstrauss’s report, released yesterday, outlined what he called the “over involvement” of Olmert, who chaired the Israel Land Council as minister of industry and trade, in the sale of commercial properties at Jaffa Port near Tel Aviv. Olmert served as industry and trade minister under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s administration from 2003 until 2005. He was mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003 and was elected prime minister in March after taking over the Kadima Party following Sharon’s stroke in January.
The Jaffa properties were designated by government lands authorities to be sold by competitive bidding, but Olmert allegedly reversed the decision and oversaw the sale for about $2.3 million. The properties reportedly were worth more than $13.5 million.
The comptroller states Olmert overstepped his duties as minister and failed to notify the Israel Lands Council of his involvement in the sale, which the report calls a conflict of interest.
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The report below is mportant reading for context concerning alleged corruption charges against Ehud Olmert;
Behind the Comptroller Awaits an Investigator
Excerpt;
The war between Civil Service Commissioner Shmuel Hollander and State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss eclipsed last week’s announcement of the appointment of Commander Shlomi Ayalon as national fraud squad head. These two apparently unrelated matters may converge and affect the future of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
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