BLOGS

Blogs

Jewish ethics

October 27, 2006

In News

By Gidi Weitz, Haaretz Correspondent

The State Comptroller’s Office has handed Attorney General Menachem Mazuz a synopsis of a report regarding former MK Omri Sharon and alleged threats he directed against Accountant General Yaron Zelekha.

Over a year ago, Zelekha and the former director of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ilan Cohen, clashed over a credit deal for local authorities, through Dexia, a Belgian-French bank.

Zelekha opposed extending the deal with Dexia because he considered it irregular and believed it lacked economic sense.

Zelekha asked the Justice Ministry to investigate whether Cohen’s handling of the deal stemmed from a conflict of interest originating in his dealings in the financial markets before he was appointed to the PMO.

Ilan Cohen was not found to have any conflict of interest.

Zelekha allegedly received a call from a friend, Eli Cohen, currently the Finance Ministry’s wages director, who conveyed a message: “Omri Sharon would like you to know that you are not only dealing with Ilan Cohen but also with him and his father [Prime Minister Ariel Sharon]. If you don’t back off, Omri and his father are going to walk all over your head.”

The decision to transfer the report to the attorney general’s office stems from a request for a legal opinion on whether a threatening message could be a criminal offense.

The Justice Ministry announced that the matter is being examined.

“An answer will be given directly to the State Comptroller’s Office,” the statement read.

The State Comptroller’s Office, Yaron Zelekha, Omri Sharon and Eli Cohen refused to comment on the matter.