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Bye-bye. Ramon
Photo: Gilad Kavalerchik
MK-to-be Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich
Photo: Amit Magal

Haim Ramon to resign from Knesset on Monday

Veteran parliamentarian to leave political life in favor of private business ventures, but will remain active in Kadima as head of party's council. Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich slated to take his place in Knesset

After a long career in politics, Knesset Member Haim Ramon (Kadima) will tender his formal resignation on Monday, ahead of taking on the business world. As required, Ramon will submit his resignation to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin.

 

Ramon will also bid farewell to his Kadima fellows on Monday, and is expected to address the Knesset for the last time on Wednesday.

 

Nevertheless, Ramon is not abandoning politics altogether and will be named head of the Kadima Council, as Chairwoman Tzipi Livni still wishes to lean on his expertise.

 

A source in the centrist party said that "Ramon will still be in the picture, and it is clear that in the future, after the political situation changes, he will be able to be a minister if he wants to."

 

Rumors of Ramon's nearing retirement from politics have been circling for years, especially since he kept saying he intended to do so.

 

Considered a shrewd politician, Ramon nearly hung up his political boots right before the Kadima primaries, but Livni was able to get him to change his mind and seek a place on the party's Knesset roster. Ramon agreed, but when Benjamin Netanyahu was tasked with forming the government, and with Kadima's subsequent move into the Opposition, he made up his mind to quit.

 

A Kadima source told Ynet that Ramon waited for the state comptroller's ruling in a probe against the illegal wiretaps allegedly used during the 2006 sexual harassment investigation against him. The former justice minister was found guilty of committing an indecent act in 2007.

 

State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss had recently sent warning letters to four of the National Fraud Unit officers who led the investigation, citing flawed conduct, but no malice.

 

The move indicates that the comptroller's final report on the case may raise harsh questions as to police ethics in the Ramon case.

 

Kadima's Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich is expected to be sworn in as a Knesset member instead of Ramon. 

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.28.09, 15:03
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