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| By Israel Insider staff September 15, 2007 |
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Israeli Police will question Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Monday concerning allegations that he illegally tried to help his billionaire friends win better conditions in the sale of Bank Leumi before becoming prime minister, Channel 10 reported Saturday evening.
The interrogation is likely to last several hours on Monday in Jerusalem. Out of deference to the Prime Minister, who is expected to face at least two additional criminal probes, the questioning is expected to take place at his residence or office, Channel 10 TV reported. Despite the expected frequency of interrogations of the Prime Minister, it is not expected that the police will set up a permanent interrogation room in Olmert's back yard.
Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld and a spokesman for Olmert did not immediately comment on the report.
Police suspect that Olmert, as finance minister in 2005, tried to influence the sale of the government's controlling interest in one of the country's largest financial institutions. They are investigating whether Olmert intervened in the sale to help -- -- unsuccessfully, as it turned out, to assist two billionaire confederates, Australian real estate developer Frank Lowy and American billionaire S. Daniel Abraham, the "Slim-Fast" tycoon. Police have already questioned Lowy in the case.
Olmert also faces corruption investigations involving real estate deals.
The state comptroller has charged that Olmert as trade minister in 2001 used his influence to steer a government grant to a colleague and recommended that the attorney general open a criminal case against the Prime Minister.
Olmert has not yet been charged with any crime and has denied wrongdoing in all the cases that have emerged against him.
Attorney-General Meni Mazuz, known to be a staunch leftist, is not expected to bring charges on the eve of Olmert's wholesale packages of unprecedented diplomatic concessions at the planned "repartition" summit in November. |
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