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If the allegations of Comptroller Micha Lindenstruass of fraud and breach of trust against Ehud Olmert, the current Prime
Minister of Israel, are true, then Olmert’s lawyer, Eli Zohar’s, recent statement that the report of Comptroller
Micha Lindenstruass is a disgraceful document would also be very sadly true.
This is a very simple matter for our members to understand, either Ehud Olmert is or is not guilty of the alleged acts of
fraud and or breach of trust.
Comptroller's Corruption Report 'Disgraceful'
By Yuval Yoaz, Ha’aretz 27/4/07
Apr 27, 2007 - 11:18:28 AM
In a response to the report on Olmert's conduct regarding projects handled by the Industry Trade and Employment Ministry's
Investment Center, lawyer Eli Zohar said the comptroller overlooked certain things, made misleading assumptions and reached
erroneous conclusions.
Zohar also denied the existence of the "economic ties" cited by Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss between Olmert and his former
partner in a law firm, Adv. Uri Messer.
Lindenstrauss issued a report Wednesday calling for a criminal probe into the prime minister for fraud and breach of trust
in connection with moves he made while industry and trade minister.
Olmert is suspected of helping to grant illicit benefits to a silicate company represented by Messer.
According to the comptroller's report, Olmert's involvement in the affair "in spite of the evident conflict of interests raises
concerns that ethical conduct was violated." He recommended that the attorney general order a criminal investigation against
the prime minister.
Zohar said the Investment Center had decided to give the silicate company a grant before Olmert became involved with the matter.
The ministry's chemicals and quarries division had amended a previous decision not to recognize the company as an approved
enterprise. "Yet the comptroller repeated his groundless and misleading statement that the chemicals division had denied the
grant," Zohar wrote.
Zohar's argument is based on e-mail messages from Ohad Orenstein, director of the chemicals and quarries division, and on
a summary of a meeting between Messer and the director of the Investment Center three days before Olmert dealt with the matter.
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