Police: Clear evidence against Minister Ramon

Second attack on Kadima in 24 hours: Tuesday noon, Attorney General Mazuz decides to bring MK Tzachi Hanegbi to justice in political appointments affair. In afternoon, police announces there is sufficient proof to take Justice Minister Ramon to court on suspicion of indecent behavior against government official

Efrat Weiss|Published: 08.15.06 , 16:46

Kissing episode brought to Mazuz's attention: On Tuesday afternoon, the police brought a suggestion to the State Prosecutor's Office, saying there is sufficient proof to indict Justice Minister Haim Ramon, on the matter of the kiss between him and a clerk in one of the government's offices.

Should Attorney General Menachem Mazuz decide to begin proceedings against Ramon, it will be Kadima's second senior member to be accused, after a decision was made earlier Tuesday to indict MK Tzachi Hanegbi on the matter of political appointments. The police presented to the attorney general all the material on the matter, and, according to them, there is sufficient evidence supporting a suspicion of indecent behavior.

In the past few weeks, police officials estimated that there is enough evidence to support an indictment. Three weeks ago, Ramon himself was brought in for questioning for seven hours. Following the investigation, the attorney general explained to him that as long as he is being investigated by police, he will have to avoid dealing with issues concerning his position as a justice minister.

The matter of the complaint against Ramon was published after the district court partially removed the publication ban on the matter. H, the young plaintiff, is not working at Ramon's office, but served until recently in one of the other government offices.

Ramon: Plaintiff attempted to initiate romantic relations

H told police that when she finished working, she went to Ramon's office and asked to take a picture with him as a souvenir. After they took the picture and stayed alone in his office, H alleges Ramon aggressively tried to kiss her and put his tongue in her mouth.

According to her, she did not forcefully resist him because "I didn't know what to do with myself." Ramon retorted that H is the one who attempted to initiate romantic relations with him and offered him her phone number.

Ramon's associates told Ynet: "Even according to the plaintiff's testimony to police, not only did she not leave crying or furious, but the police also have a photo that was taken following the episode, according to the plaintiff, where she is shown close to the minister, smiling wholeheartedly. In addition, according to her testimony, following the episode she gave him a note on which she wrote her personal phone number."

Ramon's associates pointed out that: "We have never heard of an event in which one who was sexually harassed takes a picture, smiles and gives her number to the one who a moment earlier allegedly harassed her. I am amazed that the matter was not important enough for the plaintiff to have stayed in the country, and the police didn't ask her to stay in the country, and as a result, no proper investigation was carried out, only a quasi-investigation. All these flaws only strengthen the dubiousness concerning the behavior of the police."