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MK Yoel Hasson

Zionist Union MK: Weinstein appointed to cover for Netanyahu

Yoel Hasson accuses former attorney general of 'obstructing the state comptroller's work' by failing to address the questions raised over the prime minister's travels.

Zionist Union MK Yoel Hasson alleged on Wednesday that former attorney general Yehuda Weinstein was appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to circumvent potential investigations against Netanyahu.  

 

 

Hasson's accusation comes in light of the publication of the state comptroller report about Netanyahu's travel expenses during his time as finance minister in Ariel Sharon's government, in which Comptroller Yosef Shapira accused Weinstein and his successor Avichai Mandelblit of dragging their feet on the investigation.

 

"The accusation is very clear, Weinstein is absolutely obstructing the state comptroller's work," Hasson told Ynet."I have no doubt that Weinstein was appointed to be attorney general, among other things, to prevent this kind of investigation against Netanyahu."

 

"I know that over the years letters and other information were sent over to Attorney General Weinstein and he didn't address them, did not inspect them in a serious manner; he perhaps addressed two insignificant paragraphs, but he did not refer to findings that, in my opinion the state, comptroller's staff clearly viewed criminal," Hasson added.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein (Photo: AP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein (Photo: AP)

 

"I could not believe this review took so long. The state comptroller said at that meeting that it would take a short time, it took five years. There is no doubt that Weinstein failed as a serious gatekeeper; he preferred Netanyahu's interests over the public interest."

 

When asked if this is a cover-up Hasson said: "unequivocally, there's no doubt at all about it."

 

Minister Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) responded to Hasson, saying that "the attorney general is highly respected by all the legal bodies."

 

"Yoel Hasson wants to be the one who indictes, judges, and apparently also pronounces the verdict. But what is there to do, the legal system does not serve us, not me nor Hasson. It is independent," Elkin said.

 

"I understand the desire of frustrated opposition MKs who cannot replace Netanyahu democratically to use anything they can, and I understand their anger when the legal system tells them again and again, 'excuse us, but there is nothing here.' They will have to remain frustrated opposition MKs for a very long time," he concluded.

 

The "Bibitours Affair" first came to light five years ago in an investigative report by Channel 10’s Raviv Drucker. During his tenure as finance minister under former prime minister Ariel Sharon, Netanyahu traveled abroad 15 times. Seven of those flights were funded by the Finance Ministry and the rest were funded by outside sources. According the comptroller's report, 1.5 flights were funded by foreign governments, two flights were funded by Jewish organizations, and 3.5 flights were funded by Israel Bonds, an organization funded by the Israeli government.

 

The comptroller has already asked the attorney general to look into the suspicions six months ago, and is now accusing Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and his predecessor Yehuda Weinstein of dragging their feet on the matter in an effort to "cover up" the affair.

 

"It's inappropriate that when a minister goes abroad on an official trip funded by the government, an outside party also pays for the trip," Shapira wrote in his report. “Furthermore, if a minister’s trip is funded by an outside source, it is not appropriate for his wife or children’s expenses to be funded by a third party, especially one that has no connection to the purpose of the trip.”

 

He stated that in all of the instances mentioned, much like other ministers at the time, Netanyahu did not turn to the Knesset's Gifts Committee or the State Comptroller's Committee for Giving Permits to Ministers to see if there is need to examine the legal ramifications of the outside funding, and whether it is considered an illicit benefit.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.25.16, 16:51
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