|
|
| By: Associated Press |
| Published: August 15, 2006 |
| |
Israel's Attorney General decided Tuesday to indict leading lawmaker Tzahi Hanegbi on fraud, bribery and perjury charges.
The charges relate to Hanegbi's appointment of political allies to government jobs when he was environment minister from 2001 to 2003. Attorney General Meni Mazuz had indicated in February his intention to charge Hanegbi, but put off a final decision to give the legislator a final hearing, which is standard practice in cases involving senior officials.
That hearing before Mazuz took place in July, the Justice Ministry said in a statement.
Hanegbi must now ask a parliamentary committee to let him either exercise or waive his parliamentary immunity, the ministry said.
Hanegbi is chairman of parliament's powerful foreign affairs and defense committee and served as a Cabinet minister in governments, including justice, public security, health and environment. He had been a leading candidate for a high-ranking position in the Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's current government before the prospect of criminal charges arose.
Hanegbi, once a top official in the hard-line Likud Party, bolted in December to join Olmert's Kadima Party.
Hanegbi was unavailable for immediate comment on Tuesday. In the past he has said his appointments at the Environment Ministry were in keeping with the norms of Israeli public service. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
