Olmert. Keeping his cool
Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO
Prosecution official says Olmert misleading public
Prime minister's recent accusation that he is undergoing a 'field trial' harshly criticized by law enforcement authorities. Olmert playing for time, says source at State Prosecutor's Office
Sources at the law enforcement authorities and the State Prosecutor's Office responded angrily Saturday evening to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's
recent accusation that he is undergoing a "field trial" in terms of the investigations
launched against him.
Yedioth Ahronoth reported
Friday of a conversation Olmert had with his associates, in which he slammed the State Prosecutor's Office. "They turned the investigation into a trial field at the market square. I see foam on their lips. They are hunting me," the prime minister was quoted as saying.
According to one of the sources, "The prime minister is lying shamelessly and misleading the public."
Hard to Get
Efrat Weiss
Prime minister's attorneys consent to new round of questioning on various corruption charges next Friday. Attorney General Mazuz admonished Olmert earlier, saying he no public official had ever made such difficulties for police investigators
Sources at the State Prosecutor's Office claimed they were unmoved by Olmert's criticism, saying he was trying to "keep his cool."
"The prime minister has no time to be interrogated, and when he is questioned he wastes time. However, he does have time to brief reporters and attack the State Prosecutor's Office and the police," one of the sources said.
Olmert's claims that his people were not the ones who leaked the interrogations' transcriptions also prompted criticism on the part of the State Prosecutor's Office.
"We gave no interest to publish such things, and since the prime minister's investigation began there have been leaks which have hurt the State Prosecutor's Office more than once," the source said. "We suggest that the prime minister refrain from accusing different elements before conducting a thorough examination."
Olmert claimed in recent interviews that State Prosecutor Moshe Lador and Jerusalem District Prosecutor Eli Abarbanel have a habit of briefing reporters, because they are allowed to talk and he isn’t.
A State Prosecutor's Office official said in response that Olmert had "whined" that he was not allowed to deliver his version, although he was given several opportunities to do so.
"He is playing for time and misleading the public," another source said.
