Milchan warns MK Amsalem to recant on corruption insinuations or be sued
After MK David Amsalem accuses billionaire Arnon Milchan of corruption, Milchan's legal team issue ultimatum of launching a defamation lawsuit against him if he fails to apologize; meanwhile, police slam rumors circulating about officials involved in Netanyahu investigation.
A legal representative of Israeli-American Billionaire Arnon Milchan warned MK David Amsalem (Likud) Monday that unless he apologizes within 48 for allegations of corruption, he will be facing a law suit. Amsalem grabbed Milchan's attention when he questioned his character and suggested that he may have lied about providing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with hundreds of shekels' worth of illicit gifts.
"Who's to say (Milchan) isn't lying? He's a 75-year-old billionaire. What, did Netanyahu put a gun to his head? You can see for yourself that something impure is happening here," said Amsalem on Sunday during an interview with Army Radio.
Attorney Boaz Ben Zur issued a letter to Amsalem, stating, "You are hereby required to retract your remarks against Mr. Milchan, publicly apologize, and desist from making further defamatory remarks as we see them to be in the matter of Mr. Milchan. Should you fail to comply with this, Mr. Milchan will take legal action starting tomorrow, by approaching the relevant entities and sue you for damages in full. Anything Mr. Milchan receives from this, he will, as usual, donate to a worthy cause.
"You claimed that Mr. Milchan went, on his own initiative, to the Israel Police in regard to what is being referred as 'Case 1000' (involving the alleged receiving of illicit gifts by the Netanyahu family from Milchan) in an effort to achieve nothing less than to end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure. You additionally claimed that Mr. Milchan's goal is to degrade the prime minister. Even worse, during the string of interviews you conducted, you added that if Mr. Milchan's words are true, he is a 'despicable' man. These are your words.
"These statements and others are wild, unbridled and groundless defamations. These are falsehoods that amount to slander," said Milchan's lawyer.
The Haaretz newspaper reported Friday that Milchan testified that both Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu demanded he give them illicit gifts, such as cigars and champagne. Netanyahu is expected to be called in for another round of questioning by the Police's Lahav 443 Special Investigations Unit for Fraud later in the week.
Channel 2 News commentator Amnon Abramovich claimed in his report on Friday that Milchan had bought Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara, expensive jewelry as per her request. The report detailed a specific event that took place back in 2004, while Netanyahu served as finance minister.
Meanwhile, over the last few days, a number of rumours have circulated against various senior officers in the police investigative department, prompting the police to issue a statement slamming the hearsay and promising to continue its investigation against the prime minister with integrity.
According to a report on Channel 10 on Monday evening, officers in the police force tied the rumors to the ongoing investigation.
“In the last few days, according to reporters and different claims, we recognize what seems to be an orchestrated campaign designed to fabricate false allegations against senior officers in the investigative department,” said a statement issued by the Police Spokesperson’s Unit.
“We take seriously the pressure being applied, obviously fabricated, which is intended to deter law enforces from fulfilling their duties faithfully by baselessly harming the credibility of the investigators,” the statement claimed.
Despite the rumors, it added, “the Israel Police will provide full support to the investigators. The police will continue to do its job faithfully, without prejudice and without fear.”
Channel 10 also reported that the police was apparently investigating two other incidents related to the prime minister. One of the incidents is allegedly connected to submarines in the IDF navy. In the meantime, the subject of the other alleged investigation is not yet clear.
The Haaretz newspaper reported Friday that Milchan testified that both Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu demanded he give them illicit gifts, such as cigars and champagne. Netanyahu is expected to be called in for another round of questioning by the Police's Lahav 443 Special Investigations Unit for Fraud later in the week.
Channel 2 News commentator Amnon Abramovich claimed in his report on Friday that Milchan had bought Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara, expensive jewelry as per her request. The report detailed a specific event that took place back in 2004, while Netanyahu served as finance minister.
