BiL@L
28-12-02, 14:09
The longer the investigation into allegations of corruption in the Likud continues, the more details are revealed about apparent connections between senior members of the party and criminal elements.
The picture emerging in recent days is worrisome: As opposed to what the prime minister and some of the ministers and MKs have been saying, this is not a marginal phenomenon that can be quickly isolated and uprooted. Although appropriate caution must be used regarding the details of the probe and all the suspects are innocent until proven otherwise, there is a growing suspicion that individuals with criminal backgrounds managed this time to reach deep into the political machine and the government.
Yesterday, Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishky expressed the grave concern of the law enforcement agencies in light of the extent of the phenomenon.
Already at this early stage of the inquiry it is known that Likud activists close to MKs and even ministers paid large sums of money for various services - hotel stays, travel, extraordinarily generous meals and more - in what appears to be a form of election bribery. Furthermore, from what has been revealed about the Environment Ministry and the shameful memo prepared by Communications Minister Reuven Rivlin's advisor (and revealed yesterday in Ha'aretz), it appears that Likud activists have become completely unrestrained in the field of political appointments.
There has always been political patronage, but it appears they have brought it to levels of utter irresponsibility.
Particularly worrisome are the suspicions about relationships between senior officials in the Likud and criminal elements. The nature of such relationships is still unknown, and it is possible the police will find it difficult to tie together all the hidden strings that connect the invisible deals that resulted in the Likud nominating certain people to the party's list for the Knesset and pushing others to the margins of political activity. Nonetheless, it appears that at least some senior Likud members have complex relationships, which are difficult to describe as innocent, with people and groups that have a clear interest in taking over centers of decision-making power in Israel. Some of these elements are suspected of involvement in acts of fraud, while others are involved in affairs linked to gambling in the underworld.
Of course, the entire Likud movement should not be tainted. The sweeping absence of central committee members from the rally launching the party's election campaign in Jerusalem this week is evidence of the confusion and embarrassment felt by some members of the central committee about the ugly, threatening face of their party as it now appears - and so disgusts them.
These central committee members and, with them, the public and MKs from all the parties, cannot be satisfied by the prime minister's statements and promises. They must work together to purge the criminals and the politicians associated with them, and they must create monitoring and enforcement measures to block the worrisome erosion in democracy and put the power back in the hands of the voters and the parties in advance of the next internal elections in the parties.
Bron: haaretzdaily.com (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=245696&contrassID=2&subContrassID=3&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=245696)
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Weet iemand waar MKs voor staat:confused:?
The picture emerging in recent days is worrisome: As opposed to what the prime minister and some of the ministers and MKs have been saying, this is not a marginal phenomenon that can be quickly isolated and uprooted. Although appropriate caution must be used regarding the details of the probe and all the suspects are innocent until proven otherwise, there is a growing suspicion that individuals with criminal backgrounds managed this time to reach deep into the political machine and the government.
Yesterday, Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishky expressed the grave concern of the law enforcement agencies in light of the extent of the phenomenon.
Already at this early stage of the inquiry it is known that Likud activists close to MKs and even ministers paid large sums of money for various services - hotel stays, travel, extraordinarily generous meals and more - in what appears to be a form of election bribery. Furthermore, from what has been revealed about the Environment Ministry and the shameful memo prepared by Communications Minister Reuven Rivlin's advisor (and revealed yesterday in Ha'aretz), it appears that Likud activists have become completely unrestrained in the field of political appointments.
There has always been political patronage, but it appears they have brought it to levels of utter irresponsibility.
Particularly worrisome are the suspicions about relationships between senior officials in the Likud and criminal elements. The nature of such relationships is still unknown, and it is possible the police will find it difficult to tie together all the hidden strings that connect the invisible deals that resulted in the Likud nominating certain people to the party's list for the Knesset and pushing others to the margins of political activity. Nonetheless, it appears that at least some senior Likud members have complex relationships, which are difficult to describe as innocent, with people and groups that have a clear interest in taking over centers of decision-making power in Israel. Some of these elements are suspected of involvement in acts of fraud, while others are involved in affairs linked to gambling in the underworld.
Of course, the entire Likud movement should not be tainted. The sweeping absence of central committee members from the rally launching the party's election campaign in Jerusalem this week is evidence of the confusion and embarrassment felt by some members of the central committee about the ugly, threatening face of their party as it now appears - and so disgusts them.
These central committee members and, with them, the public and MKs from all the parties, cannot be satisfied by the prime minister's statements and promises. They must work together to purge the criminals and the politicians associated with them, and they must create monitoring and enforcement measures to block the worrisome erosion in democracy and put the power back in the hands of the voters and the parties in advance of the next internal elections in the parties.
Bron: haaretzdaily.com (http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=245696&contrassID=2&subContrassID=3&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y&itemNo=245696)
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Weet iemand waar MKs voor staat:confused:?