Sharon faces bribery indictment

Israel & Palestine Forum

Sharon faces bribery indictment


Sunday 28 March 2004, 1:15 Makka Time, 22:15 GMT

Israeli state prosecutors are preparing to indict Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a long-running corruption scandal that could drive him out of office.


Israel’s Channel 2 television on Saturday reported that state attorney Edna Arbel is planning to submit the charge sheet within days to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, who will then make the final decision on whether to put Sharon on trial.

Mazuz thereafter could take months to decide whether to accept Arbel’s recommendations, adding to the uncertainty about the prime minister’s political future.

Enough evidence

Arbel’s draft indictment concluded there were sufficient grounds to charge Sharon with bribery in connection with a real estate deal involving his son, Gilad, and land developer David Appel.

Prosecutors allege Appel hired Gilad Sharon in 1999 and paid him large sums to persuade his father, then foreign minister, to promote real estate deals including a Greek island resort that was never built.

Protesting innocence

Sharon has in the past denied any wrongdoing. Appel, who was charged in January with trying to bribe Sharon, also denies the allegations against him.

An official indictment would not bind Sharon to resign but analysts say public opinion and pressure from some coalition partners could force him to step down.

Sharon has said he has no intention of resigning over the allegations.

Your going to hell Fat Ass!

Yees! Best news I've heard all year!

Not that I'm defending Sharon but you two don't believe that Arafat is on the take? Someone should have been indicting him long ago with all the monies he diverted to his own pocket.

This is one of the many reasons why Palestinians stay in poverty today.

Thats why me and AZ wish that both of them would just leave.

As of now there is no indication that Sharon will resign, and I don't know why he would, considering that an indictment is not a conviction.

So far, the only ones speaking of resignation are the extreme Leftists at Meretz, who suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Sharon and the Likud. Of course, they've been calling for his resignation twice a week since his election, and their yapping amounts to nothing.

Let's look at the law:

Under Israeli law, there is absolutely no requirement for a politician like Sharon to resign, even if he were to be indicted.

So, if Sharon would be indicted, there are 3 options:

1) Sharon has the option to voluntarily take something like a temporary leave of absence while defending his case. Under this scenario, the Likud's second-in-command, Ehud Olmert, would take over as PM.

2) Sharon has the right to resign voluntarily, in which case the Likud has an internal election to replace him. My bet is that Netanyahu would prevail and become PM.

3) Sharon can continue as usual. He has no requirement to resign. he would simply continue serving as PM.

My hope is that there will not be an indictment, but if there is, Israel's democracy will shrug it off with time, although it is certainly no badge of honor.

Trust Merkava to defend an Israeli war criminal whose under investigation by his own country, AGAIN.

If only the Palestinians had a democracy capable of investigating Arafat.

LOL Merkava is so predictable. Instead of defending Israel and Sharon, who he knows is wrong, he attacks Palestinians and Arafat.

You never defended Sharon, you simply defended his right to remain Prime Minister. Everyone knows he's guilty - it's just a matter of whether Israel can afford to prosecute their own leader in such worrying times for them.

Very clever, well done for noticing. You didn't actually defend him personally on the charges facing him, but you DID defend his right to remain Prime Minister. That is what I meant.

All I did was give you a lesson in Israeli law.

I can't believe that the Zionist/Neocon PIGS defend Sharon, even as he commits crimes? It's pathetic? BLOODY, GRUESOME DEATH TO ISRAEL! Keep Bombin' HAMAS!!! STAY STRONG!

And God Bless America, Land that I love!

Depends, Ignorants would say, Look at this animal, he hates Israel for no reason, just like every Arab out there

Educated people would say, hes a bit too extreme, but i understand where hes coming from, he could do alot better by talking about it in calmness