Olmert accused of political appointments
Photo: AP
MKs: Put Olmert on trial
Knesset members, both right-wing and left-wing, attack prime minister following state comptroller's report on political appointments during his term as minister of industry, trade and labor. MK Yoram Marciano (Labor): Olmert's fate same as Tzachi Hanegbi's fate
The state comptroller's report that revealed a series of political appointments made by Prime Minister Olmert during his term as Minister of Industry, Trade, and Labor has evoked harsh responses from Knesset members on both the right and the left.
MK Yoram Marciano, a member of Labor, one of the parties in the coalition, said: "The prime minister's fate is like the fate of Tzachi Hanegbi. Political appointments are the Likud's estate. If the circumstances are the same as the Hanegbi case, Olmert must be investigated and put on trial."
Nepotism
Ynet reporters
According to special state comptroller report, several Likud Central Committee members given jobs by Israel Small and Medium Enterprise Authority during Olmert's tenure as industry, trade and labor minister; comptroller submits findings to attorney general, civil service commissioner
MK Ran Cohen (Meretz-Yahad) said: "The prime minister's appointments aren't only brazen corruption, but are vulgar because they were made during a time in which the entire pubic was up in arms about Hanegbi's appointments. Olmert disregarded the public, and now the public will disregard him."
The right wing also criticized the prime minister. MK Arieh Eldad (National Union-NRP) said: "After flipping through the state comptroller's report, a picture of governmental, cross-party corruption emerges by which a majority of the government elite in the country are contaminated. I intend to convene the Knesset Lobby for Fighting Corruption in the Public Sector which I head and to summon Olmert to come before it."
Likud Fation Chairman Gideon Sa'ar took advantage of the state comptroller's report to launch an attack on the cabinet, "After rescinding its realignment plan and abandoning the social agenda, it is obvious that the cabinet's only agenda is investigations and new affairs."
The state comptroller's report sharply criticized Olmert who served the last three years as Minister of Industry, Trade, and Labor, as well as the ministry's then director-general. Raanan Dinur.
The report asserts that Olmert and the director-general made a series of political appointments to the Israel Small and Medium Enterprise Authority, appointing members of the Likud Central Committee who were unfit for the job. The findings were passed on to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, among others.
