Corruption in the Likud party

[sharonbn]

I cannot believe there was no thread discussing what is headline news in Israel for the past month.

Police now investigates more than 10 Likud activists in connection with bribery and corruption in the Likud primary elections.

It started with the election of Moshe (moosa) Alperon, one of the leaders of organized crime in Israel, to the Likud center. The Likud center, about 3,000 members, votes the Likud list of candidates to the Knesset.
After public outcry, Alperon decided to give back his membership card. However, one day after declaring his intentions, he changed his mind, after hearing senior Likud memebrs saying "good ridden" to the press.

It continues with the election of unknwon names to realistic places in the Likud list of candidates. One in particular is Inbal Gavrieli who was elected in place no. 29, passing more famous figures like the business tycoon Pnina Rosenbloom. If elected, Gavrieli, aged 27, will become the youngest KM ever.
Until her election, Gavrieli was unknown to the bulk of the Likud center members and anonymous to the public. She is a law student in her third year and has no public activity record.
She is the daughter of David Gavrieli, a wealthy man who owns several Casino houses out side of Israel. Father Gavrieli is well known in Likud circles and allegedly organized the election of his daughter with an aggressive expensive intensive campaign. As part of the campaign, Likud center members were given free meals at a restaurant owned by the Gavrieli family. Be’er-Yaakov city mayor, Yoav Refael was investigated by the police for suspicion of bribery.

Moreover, it was revealed that several Likud candidates allegedly bought their way into the list of candidates by bribing Likud center members. The highest ranking suspect is vice minister of infrastructure, Naomi Blumental, who allegedly bought nights at the Sheraton City Plaza luxurious hotel for Likud center members. She was questioned by the police and refused to cooperate. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fired her from the role of vice minister because he claims that refusal to cooperate is a privilege of a private person, not a public official.
Blumental claims innocence and says sharon’s move is because she is associated with Netanyahu. Her advisor threatened to reveal incriminating evidence of Sharon’s involvement in the corruption.

Several Likud candidates told the police that they were approached by influential figures in the Likud center with requests to secure jobs and appointments in exchange for a “secured” vote.

Suspicions run as high as Sharon’s son, Omri, who also ran for candidacy and was elected at place no. 21. Omri is suspected for involvement in enrolling ex members of Zadal (South Lebanon army) for the Likud. Some 300 persons, living in Israel, were enrolled for the Likud. They do not hold Israeli citizenship and cannot vote for the Knesset. Likud rules forbid the enrolling of non-citizens.

A special committee in the Likud is working on a proposal to change the election process in the Likud. Members of the committee say the uncontrolled enrollment of 300,000 is the root of the problem. They many people enrolled without the intention of supporting the Likud, but rather to send their representatives to the Likud center in hope of job security after the general elections.

[NewsGuy]

I support Likud, so I hope that everyone who is involved with this scandal is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

In addition to bribery within the party and internal corruption, the main crime they are guilty of is amazing stupidity that really sets new records even for Israeli politics.

As for charges of corruption, certainly that exists in several Israeli parties. Former prime ministers Netanyahu and Barak were both under investigation for various charges of corruption. Barak had questionable contributions to his campaign, and Netanyahu kept gifts from other heads of state, etc.

But in this latest Likud scandal, where various party insiders were paid to nominate certain candidates to the party list, is really exceptional in its scope. The phenomenon was so widespread and publicly known, that the stupidity is really overwhelming. That is why they should be made to pay a serious price.

There is also a big picture aspect here:

By comparison, in the U.S., there is plenty of the same type of corruption. Improper party contributions force Democrats and Republican candidates to return money in nearly every election. From accepting foreign contributions, to selling nights in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House, to accepting money from terrorism-supporting Arabs. This is of course not to mention favoritism and nepotism in various Federal appointments, and in awarding lucrative Federal contracts based on backroom deals.

But in Israel, the Likud members must have known that they would be exposed. Nonetheless, they went ahead and paid the party insiders for nominations. It was as if to say that they thought that it would be acceptable somehow to do what they did. They were wrong of course.

In Israel, there is very careful scrutiny and everything is uncovered sooner or later. That is how its democracy prospers.

Ultimately, though, the Likud might pay a high price by losing seats in the Knesset, as the Israeli voter will decide if the corruption is limited to specific individuals, or if it is a problem of the entire Likud party.

Either way, it is a blow to national morale, which is low enough already.

[NewsGuy]

Today the Israeli police announced that there is evidence against 3 members of the Likud election committee, and also found corruption in the Labor party.

Seems that MK Eli ben Menachem of Labor tried to pay his opponent to stop running against him in the primaries.

[raven]

I would pay very close attention to who is behind uncovering corruption or any kind of scandle in Israel. You know that its become a vehicle to get rid of any one you want politically, in the US. Both sides are looking for dirt...even before a Politition gets started. IF they think he or she may be a "star" an up and commer, that may give your side (which ever it is) competition, they are having private investigators do whats called Opposition Research. It used to be done on only present &active politians ..now they are reaching back to those they THINK might decide to run.

They do this with POLICIES also. The Policies that are not liked and pose a threat...are listed..then the polititians that favor those policies are targeted.

They do this in the US..regularly now..and have found that it is a good idea to do this...in Foreign Countries as well. That way, it is a method to get RID of that pesky Polition in England, France, Russia..and ISRAEL... Provide jusst a little REPORT..to the opposition..and THEY take it from there..Wa..laa...scandle...of any sort..the polition and the policy looses credibility..and is smeared..put off and possibly GONE...

This is a way to get rid of Politians and Policies you dont want.

[NewsGuy]

Originally posted by raven
This is a way to get rid of Politians and Policies you dont want.

Do you actually have a credible source for your point of view, or is it just a case of good old conspiracy theories and paranoia?

[Micah]

Example: Recently resigned Senator Tent Lott. He said something that could be construed as supporting a racist policy in the past, yet how many Senators have made stupid comments (or worse) like him and haven't gotten the boot?

[NewsGuy]

Originally posted by Micah
Example: Recently resigned Senator Tent Lott. He said something that could be construed as supporting a racist policy in the past, yet how many Senators have made stupid comments (or worse) like him and haven't gotten the boot?

Lott made those very same remarks several times in the past, so it's not really just a slip of the tongue. In any event, though, he was not prosecuted criminally, but rather removed as leader of the Republicans (but maintained his Senator position) after becoming too much of a liability for the party due to his views.

To be clear, I don't doubt that some prosecutions are motivated by political considerations. But the ones in Israel are based on hard evidence, so I don't understand why those should be doubted.

[Micah]

I was just defending raven's position as you made him out to be a conspiracy theorist. When someone wants you out of politics it doesn't take much to get yourself booted. You said it yourself, he had said similar remarks in the past. Why wasn't he booted? Because he was still useful then.

Anyways, Political corruption is everywhere. Nobody is immune to it.

[raven]

News Guy: Fraid not..not conspiracy. thinking.of any kind. Plain ole..Politics. Been in and around Politics and the Diplomatic Community, Foreign Policy..for my whole life. Opposition Research , called OP RESEARCH has been used in Domestic Politics to get rid of? or smear (lower the vote-sometimes thats all you need, just a little lowering of the turnout and vote) on Polititians with Policies that you dont like and are afraid will win. Its the gentlemans way..of offing your opponent. NOW...it was so successful in Domestic Politics that the US has been using this technique in Foreign Policy and Politics as well.

US did it in the COld War. with the help of some of its cold war allies..to various degrees..in Eastern Europe, Russia, and ME and Africa..and Israel..They are doing the same now.

Its the easiest to do in a Democratic Country where you have two or more factions..Do the research, and provide it to the side..opposing who you dont like or whose policies you dont like. Help THEM get rid of the offending Politition. Easy...simple..bloodless...and effective. Its a duh.

Example..see Netanyahu as a particularly dangerous person to what YOU want to ultimately accomplish? (Hes articulate, gorgeous (thats important) and clicks with the average American, sounds just like an Amereican (they DONT like that)) Then..help his opposition
get him" on...ohhhh WOMEN? maybe. Id try that first IF I was doing opp research on Netanyahu.

Want to get rid of Sharon? People are watching-- so you either have to wait till he shuffles off the buffalo himself..OR you can look for something to smear him...possiblty ANY thing you can call RACISM, or anything you can call EXCESS VIOLENCE, or catch him saying ANYTHING that can be interpreted as Anti- American or dissing America. If I was doin OPP Research on Sharon, Id leave girls and money to the last. With him, they are seeing if they can scare up..Power Issues, Violence Issues, any Racist remarks he may have ever made, etc etc.

THe US does this, and so does Europe, and so does the Islamic WOrld..now.

Dont believe me? wait and see. I promise you, you will hear about these things in the news..ohhh...maybe it will take 10 years ....but its there.

A good way to see how its done is how our country discredited Polititions in various other countries..during the cold war and after..Not just in Israel.This is old news..this is usual behavior..

Summary: Scandle is a way of limiting your opponent (it works..look what happened to Clinton [deserved or not], or possibly getting rid of him totally with the policies you dont want.

[Miriam]

Originally posted by sharonbn

I cannot believe there was no thread discussing what is headline news in Israel for the past month.

Police now investigates more than 10 Likud activists in connection with bribery and corruption in the Likud primary election Ah well, if the Israeli politicians want to shock the world, they'll have to try a little harder, you know. After all, Belgium has been home to a ring of child molesters in which a number of leading politicians participated and whose main "activists" they protected for years. The result was about half a dozen dead children (the Dutroux affair). So you see, the Likud affair is hardly worth being mentioned by "our" standards - just a sordid little corruption case, as it happens every other day over here ;)

[NewsGuy]

Originally posted by raven
News Guy: Fraid not..not conspiracy. thinking.of any kind. Plain ole..Politics. Been in and around Politics and the Diplomatic Community, Foreign Policy..for my whole life.

There's no need to convince me that sometimes politics is a motivating factor in investigating politicians. That's pretty obvious, and is the right thing to do, because politicians put themselves up for review when they run for office. That's a fact.

But all that conspiracy theory that you bring up is completely irrelevant here, where there is hard evidence of misdeeds.

So I'll ask you again, do you have any credible source to suggest that these politicians are not guilty?

[raven]

Newsguy..remember I told you about this..OK? You can believe me or not now...Its OK if you dont. It is the*nature of this kind of thing... NOT to make the news until much later and not in whole chunks..( sometimes it makes the news as a throw away sideline issue which no one pays much attent. to) Read about this behavior going back to WW2 on all sides. They werent as "scientific" about it as they are now..using infomation technology..that we have now...but..the general objective was there. Its there...in non fiction book after non fiction book.

When you do this, domestically and with foreign leaders, you throw information "over the transome". ( Ms..Netanyahu and the Nanny is one that comes to mind--it slowed Netanyahus big MOmentum down and also made him less attractive to Americans)... Thowing info OVER THE TRANSOME is even the phrase they use when they want to ..throw some mud so as to hurt or stop a political leader. (Business has learned about this also and does this kind of thing too). Weve learned that Mud..can indeed get rid of someone..You get the result you want without...more nasty methods.

If YOU , sittin in Syria or Iraq, had watched, .... Nixon..and Watergate and the results of the whole thing...and you, say, sitting in Egypt or Saudi Arabia, had just watched Clinton..and what happened (not necessarily to Clinton but his ability to accomplish ANYTHING during the rest of his second administration) and then looked at Sharon (who is at least holding his own and WILL drop the big one IF Arab world goes too far) or an attractive Israeli up and commer among any of the Right....and you had PetroDollars up the ying yang, what would YOU do? You MIGHT invest those Petro Dollars into big time OP Research on the person who has Charisma to make his policies -- you dont like, WORK.

PROMISE...that you will see this come out. Its very Biz as Usual now.

In the last election in Israel.....Carvelle (rangin Cagin) was there working for the Left candidate. Think now..what all? do you think Carvelle was doing there in Israel manageing the ISRAELI Candidate for the Left.....NOT using the OP RESEARCH? that he usues regularly in US Campaigns that he manages? Thats the first thing Carvelle, AND the Republ.,( there was a US Political Manager there who worked with Sharon) helping the other side-- did. They have exported the use of OP Research which ferrets out ANYTHING ..the person DID or SAID...and presents it at the correct time and in the correcct way-- in an election. Carvelle manages or used to manage Candidates for Office all over the Democratic World and in other places also. These successful US Campaign Managers are Political Professionals..and manage Candidates all over the world..on both sides..Liberal and Conservative.

Is this whole thing discussed out in the open NOW? No-- not yet. But then when I told people about the phony Arab Charities and phony Arab businesses and** Cultural Centers that were in N. Va. by the tens...and what they were doing..and that the US knew about them...no one believed me either. This was common knowledge by about 1/4th of the people in the DC area. When I talked about Arabs using money and perks in the way they have been doing in America and Europe for 20 years..it hadent made the news. I just heard this presented by Daniel Pipes..recently..and ya know..no one is following up Pipes article, as we speak. It will disappear IF no one takes up the issue where Daniel Pipes leaves off. (the info is sort of out there..but NOT LIKE PIPES presented it)

This subject of getting rid of Polititions and Policies by OP Research that thows mud or starts a Scandle will make it to the news as a separate distinct issue..when someone messes up...and gets discovered with his hands caught in the Transome...Thats usually how it works.