The last of the Holyland detainees, Motti Hota ,has been released, meaning that just before investigations into the biggest name in the affair – former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert – the jails are empty of Holyland suspects. Hota was released Sunday afternoon, shortly after Meir Rabin ,the go-between who police say is connected to 18 counts of bribery, was released to house arrest.
Hota was Jerusalem Local Planning and Building Commission chairman at the time the Holyland project was approved, and today serves on the Beit Shemesh council. Now he will be under house arrest for the coming seven days.
During discussions at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court on Sunday, it emerged that his bank accounts, like those of other detainees, have been frozen until suspicions against him have been clarified.
"A person cannot be detained for seven days without the accusations against him sticking to him," Hota's lawyer Attorney Avi Udiz said during the hearing. "They didn't present him with even one piece of evidence that connects him to bribery. I find it hard to understand today, though I said this before already, why Huta was arrested. It's clear now that it was pointless."
Meir Rabin was released earlier. Rabin is thought to have had a major role in the bribery scandal. However, those close to him say the fact that the police failed to break him and recruit him as a state witness drives a wedge into the investigation efforts.
Throughout his time in detention, Rabin chose to exercise his right to silence and did not cooperate with the investigators. Sometimes he even wore earphones so as not to hear their questions.
Police have rejected the claims, and explained that in addition to the first state witness in the case, they also hold strong evidence. There is no doubt that Rabin could have assisted as a state witness, they say, but promise that even without him the investigation is progressing and will eventually enable indictments to be served.
Rabin, who was detained for 34 days, submitted financial guarantees and forfeited his passport. He also agreed not to talk to the media in the coming days during the period of investigation.