E-Hood is Back in the Money

When your entire administration goes down the toilet
in corruption scandals, who gets left holding the bag ?

Would you buy a used car from this man ?

Former Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson

MORE SCANDALS WEIGH DOWN ISRAELI GOVERNMENT
by Phillipe Khan - Aljazeera 4/24/2007 9:12:00 PM GMT

In the latest corruption scandal in Israel, Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson temporarily suspended himself from office
on Sunday, ahead of an expected fraud indictment.

Israeli media say enough evidence is available to indict Hirchson, a close ally of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert , for embezzling money as chairman of a public-sector labor union.

Police are also investigating whether the finance minister received free medical treatment as the chairman of a government-run health maintenance organization. It’s been reported that the prime minister pushed Hirchson to step aside temporarily. The finance minister's leave of absence will last three months, though Olmert is expected to be considering a Cabinet shake-up within this period.

Also Sunday, Azmi Bishara, an Israeli Arab MP and head of the National Democratic Assembly (Balad), resigned from parliament at the Israeli embassy in Cairo, and said he would stay abroad for a time because of a "racist" climate. Bishara, an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians, submitted his final resignation weeks after leaving Israel amid a police probe into unspecified criminal allegations.

Coupled with public criticism of the government’s handling of
last summer’s war against Hezbollah, the recent resignations triggered talks of new elections barely a year after the cabinet took office. Hirchson’s resignation could also spark infighting within Olmert’s party, Kadima, which, according to recent polls, would lose more than half of its 29 seats in parliament in any
new election.

"There are symptoms of a critical mass of scandals and investigations", said Rina Matzliach, the political commentator
for Israel's Channel 2 news. "It could very well be that this is
creating an atmosphere in which political parties will reach an agreed-upon date for elections."

The political turmoil led to media speculations that Olmert's
rivals within Kadima -- such as Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni --
are discussing the need of preparing a scenario in which
the prime minister would have to resign...

...and good news is no news,
but who could ask for more ?

Olmert is himself facing several investigations related to real estate deals in which he profited from sales prices that sharply deviated from going rates in the market. He is also facing an inquiry into charges that he changed terms of a Bank Leumi privatization plan to help one of the bidders, during his term
as FINANCE MINISTER .

Four other members of the Israeli cabinet are facing or have faced corruption investigations, and another three coalition legislators have come under similar scrutiny.

Moreover, Israel's President Moshe Katsav is facing potential indictment on charges of sexual crimes involving four women, giving private gifts paid for out of public funds, harassing a witness and obstructing justice.

An unidentified government minister acknowledged that Israel's leadership is "tainted by an image of ill-doing" but said that the investigations are "not connected" and proved that "everybody is subject to the rule of law" --- { excised }

OK, folks, where am I going with this ? If you have already realized there's nothing new, or newsworthy,
about Israeli corruption, you're on the right track.
So this related story, from a few hours ago, shouldn't really come as any big surprise either...

OLMERT HOLDS FIRST SESSION AS FINANCE MINISTER
By Moti Bassok - Haaretz

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is now acting finance minister, met Sunday night with treasury director general
Yarom Ariav in the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem.
The two discussed how to coordinate their work.

This was their first working meeting after Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson announced Sunday morning that he was taking a three-month leave of absence .

Meanwhile, Hirchson was busy hiring the services of
media advisor Moti Sharf, a former treasury spokesman .
Sharf agreed to take on the job only after Hirchson agreed it was in his own best interests to suspend himself.

At Sunday's meeting, Olmert asked Ariav to coordinate the treasury's work and to continue with the ministry's current plans. Ariav explained the issues facing the treasury and the projects
on the drawing board. Ariav also told Olmert about the long list
of issues the finance minister will have to decide on in the near future .

Olmert ordered Ariav to continue with all of Hirchson's plans. The prime minister expressed his faith in the treasury's direction and in Ariav. He also asked Ariav to coordinate the work of all senior treasury officials, and asked to be briefed regularly. The two will meet regularly, and Olmert said he will be available to all senior treasury officials .

Ariav then met with the treasury's senior staff to tell them about the changes. He emphasized that the ministry must continue to operate responsibly and show budgetary restraint .