Suspended Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson submitted his letter of resignation over the weekend, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced
at the opening of Sunday’s cabinet meeting.
The resignation will go into effect within the next 48 hours. The prime minister said he would appoint a new finance minister by Wednesday.
“I believe in his innocence and hope he deals successfully with the allegations
made against him,” Olmert told his ministers, adding that Hirchson chose to act in the public’s interest over his own.
Hirchson is being investigated over suspicions that he embezzled funds from the non-profit Nili organization (associated with the National Workers' Organization) while he headed the workers' association.
He is accused of using the funds to finance a political campaign and cover the illegal gambling debts of one of Nili's directors.
Hirchson suspended himself a little more than two months ago; Olmert has acted as finance minister since then.
Some of Olmert’s aides are leaning towards appointing Kadima MK Ronnie Bar-On to replace Hirchson, while others favor former Justice Minister Haim Ramon. However, most aides agree that Bar-On’s appointment would be more widely accepted among the public.
A third prominent candidate for the position is Housing and Construction Minister Meir Sheetrit.
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