A Daily Analysis
By Marc Schulman

September 7, 2008- Police Recommend Indictment of Olmert

The police have finally made their recommendations to the state prosecutor on two of the cases against Prime Minister Olmert. The police have recommended that Olmert be indicted in both the Talansky and the Rishon Tours cases. In the case of Talansky, the American Jew from Long Island, the police contend that Olmert received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Talansky. In this case, the police have accused Olmert of taking bribes, as well as other lesser crimes, including money laundering. In the Rishon Tours case, the police claim that Olmert is guilty of fraud, in double billing various chartities for his trips, thus, enabling him to use the extra funds for trips for his family. In yet a third case (the investment center), the police have asked to interview Olmert again.

Unfortunately, the Israeli process is slow. Now it is up to the state prosecutor to decide whether to indict Olmert. The process has been incredibly slow. It could take a few more weeks or even months until the prosecutor decides what to do. Luckily, Olmert has already announced he will resign after the Kadima primaries. In today's cabinet meeting Olmert was especially brutal in his attacks on Ehud Barak, who opposed the changes that Olmert pushed through in the basic law regarding the Supreme Court. Barak was correct in demanding that the law not be passed (leaving aside the law itself), since the coalition agreement between Kadima and the Labor party calls for an agreement between the two in any case the "basic laws" are changed. Barak's response probably enraged Olmert even more.... Barak said, he was not going to respond to Olmert's remark, since Omert is no longer relevant.