Associates: Peres may have to resign
Sources close to Peres say veteran politician may have to choose between facing indictment and quitting political life
The state comptroller's findings in his investigation into the donations Shimon Peres received ahead of the Labor Party primaries, stirred concern among the veteran politician's associates.
A close confidant of Peres said Friday he was very worried about the developments in the affair, and told Ynet: "Peres is in a jam. I believe he will eventually be asked to resign if he does not want to see an indictment served against him."
Unlike similar incidents in the past, this time the case was serious and complicated, and it was "doubtful that it would end with a positive result," the associate said.
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss has asked the attorney general to review criminal suspicions against Peres, connected with donations granted to him some six months ago.
An inquiry that was conducted by the comptroller recently revealed that Peres received contributions in the amount of USD 320,000 before the Labor primaries, thus allegedly violating the law and committing bribery, fraud and breach of trust offenses.
Peres' attorneys denied all the claims against him, and said that at the time the donations were received there were no legal limitations pertaining to contributions. They added that Peres acted at the time on his lawyer's advice and with the approval of the party.
