Radio France Internationale – Analysis US-Israel Corruption Scandal
RFI: The Justice Ministry of Israel confirmed that prime minister Olmert is under criminal investigation for receiving suspected bribes paid by an American businessman before he assumed power. The money was allegedly revived in through an illegal transfer. Olmert has announced that he would resign if found guilty of corruption, but nevertheless denied violating the law. The White House indicated that legal matters affecting Israel were an internal Israeli matter that will not affect George Bush’s visit to the Middle East next week.
Nevertheless various analysts believe that the judicial inquiry could weaken Olmert even more the middle east peace plan pushed by Bush.
Grant Smith, is director of the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy in Washington.
Grant Smith: When both sides are weakened, in the case of Fatah and different Palestinian parties in conflict, and the same in the Knesset and the parliamentary system they can always lose the prime minister in a vote of no confidence. When there is a sufficient level of disturbance, they can’t really pursue any peace initiatives or painful concessions that require more unity.
Israel has a history of sudden high level scandals that surface when territorial concessions are on the table. In the case of Ariel Sharon, when plans for Israel’s military withdrawal from Gaza were being placed on the table, corruption charges began surfacing against his family.
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