The Ayalons on the defensive
צילום: איי פי
Undiplomatic behavior?
TV’s Channel 2 reports accusations that Israel’s ambassador in Washington tried to interfere in public service commissioner investigation of U.S. envoy's wife, Anne Ayalon
TEL AVIV - Public Service Commissioner Shmuel Hollander asked Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Wednesday for help in investigating the actions of Anne Ayalon, the wife of Ambassador Danny Ayalon, and of Judy Nir Mozes Shalom, the wife of the foreign minister.
According to TV’s Channel 2, the preliminary findings of the investigation are that Ambassador Ayalon tried to influence witnesses and even offered salary bonuses for those who cooperated.
The pair is also accused of misusing public funds for private purposes. Anne Ayalon allegedly used embassy funds to hire a maid to help arrange a private function.
Hollander wrote in his letter to Mazuz, “From the beginning of the investigation, there have been ceaseless attempts to intimidate us and to undermine our credibility…”
Hollander asked for additional legal manpower from Mazuz.
Conspiracy or paranoia
Hollander sent out his letter following a Channel 1 report that the appointed investigator got a discounted flight to Poland available only to foreign ministry personnel.
The public service commissioner saw behind the story an attempt by Ayalon to derail and discredit his investigation.
Meanwhile, sources close to the ambassador said that the accusations were nonsense and that Ayalon himself had called for an investigation to clear the air.
