Talansky 'glad cross-examination about to end'
Tired and exhausted after being questioned by prime minister's lawyers for four days, US businessman arrives at court for last day of cross-examination. Olmert's attorney: Cross-examination has turned entire deposition into a joke. Lawyers ask Talansky on donations given for ideological reasons
Talansky, who appeared to be tired and exhausted, said before the discussion, "I'm glad it's over. I'll be back in August."
"As for the State Prosecutor's statements on a decision whether to file an indictment soon, I have nothing to say. These are not my considerations.
"I believe this case was launched based on key witness Talansky, and the cross-examination has turned his entire deposition into a joke. At the moment, there is nothing in this witness to support an indictment. A pre-trial deposition must lean on a key witness, but if it turns out he is not the key witness, this entire process was unnecessary," said Zohar.
During the cross-examination, Talansky responded aggressively to the questions presented him and corrected Olmert's lawyers when he thought they were mistaken.
Asked about a meeting he had with the prime minister's son, Shaul Olmert, which the lawyer claimed was a business meeting, the US businessman insisted that he had met with him only because Olmert told him to, in order to get back the money he had loaned him.
Attorney Zohar said, "You came with a brochure of your mini-bar business and wanted to talk to him about business." Talansky responded, "I always carry brochures in my bag. He explained that "the mini-bar business was unsuccessful."
Ideological donations
Olmert's other lawyer, Attorney Nevot Tel-Tzur, asked Talansky about donations he gave for ideological-rightist reasons: "You say you donated funds to the Greater Israel, to the united Jerusalem…"
Talansky interrupted him, saying Olmert had told him that was the donations' goal. He admitted the fund raising had an ideological element. "He said he would keep Jerusalem united. He was a Likud member. I said Olmert was going to be prime minister. He told me he would safeguard Israel and we are all interested in a Greater Israel and support the settlements."
Tel-Tzur also presented Talansky with segments from the interrogation of Olmert's former associate Uri Messer, in order to prove that the investigators put things in his mouth.
State Prosecutor Moshe Lador said in response at the court, "I fail to understand Tel-Tzur's conduct in regards to Messer's interrogation. What does this have to do with Talansky? We have wasted 20 minutes. We must move on."
On opposite sides: Talansky with Attorney Zohar (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)
Attorney Zohar focused on a loan given for the circumcision ceremony of Olmert's grandson. Talansky said, "Olmert asked me for a loan. I went to the bank, I took it out, I gave it to him in an envelope. I know I gave Olmert a loan. Olmert told me to talk to Shaul about returning the loan."
"But you met with Shaul Olmert half a year before the brit?" the lawyer asked. "So why did you tell the police you met with him two weeks after the brit?" Talansky replied, "I thought I met with him after the brit. I know I gave Olmert a loan. I don’t know if it was for a brit or not for a brit. I also met with Olmert's son."
The lawyer of the prime minister's former bureau chief, Shula Zaken, who was also expected to question Talansky on Tuesday, said that he will only present him with a number of questions for several minutes, and that the serious interrogation will take place on the second round which will begin on August 31.
State Prosecutor Lador said Monday that a decision on whether to indict the prime minister is expected "very soon".
The Jerusalem District Court determined that Talansky's cross-examination would resume on August 31 and would continue through September 1, after Olmert’s attorney asked for two additional days to interrogate the key witness.
In Monday's court session, Olmert's legal team chose to focus on Talansky's relationship with Attorney Uri Messer, formerly one of Olmert's closest confidants, who was deposed in the case himself.
The defense confronted Talansky with additional contradictions between his police questioning court testimony in regards to the money he allegedly gave to Olmert through Messer.
When asked about funds given to Messer so the latter could purchase an apartment in Jerusalem, Talansky said he had no recollection of such an incident.
When confronted with the bank statement detailing the transfer of $100,000 to that effect, Talansky replied he was not familiar with the documentation.
Efrat Weiss contributed to this report
