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1 Sivan 5765 - June 8, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
New Corruption Scandal Rocks Shinui

By G. Lazer and ITIM

Two Shinui activists belonging to Yosef Paritzky's camp have a recording of MK Avraham Poraz allegedly offering them a flight abroad and other benefits if they stopped operating like an opposition within the Shinui Party, according to a television report.

During its news broadcast Channel One played the tape, in which the MK can be heard offering to pay for two flights for Shinui Council members Gadi Ben Shmuel and Gabi Balgar if they stopped disparaging him.

According to the report the two regularly butt at Poraz in their newsletter, "Shinui BeShinui." On 30 Nisan (9 May) Poraz spoke with them in the corridor during a Shinui Council meeting in Tel Aviv, offering to turn over a new leaf in their relations.

In the tape Poraz can be heard saying, "If you want to turn over a new leaf of cooperation, stop publishing the newsletter. I can easily give you an open door. If you think from time to time you need a trip abroad, I'm prepared to pay."

Speaking on Channel One, Gadi Ben Shmuel said, "Poraz wanted us to close down the newsletter and in exchange he offered us trips abroad. `The door is open,' he said. `Come with proposals.' As much as he could give, trips abroad, jobs, all kinds of things. In practice he controls Shinui's finances."

In reaction Poraz said, "The conversation with the two was an inconsequential talk in the hall held at their initiative and its whole objective was to set me up again, just like MK Yosef Paritzky tried to do. The two are loyal Paritzky followers he left in Shinui to use as a Trojan horse and did not join the new party, but their close associates did join."

Shinui's Knesset Chairwoman Reshef Chen said Ben Shmuel and Balgar "are Paritzky's partners in acts of corruption and mafia techniques that have no place in the Shinui Party. In the coming days steps will be taken to remove them and have them join their partner, Paritzky."

Shinui Chairman Tomi Lapid called the pair "overgrown weeds whose presence we won't tolerate in our clean party. Their target is the cleanest politician in the Knesset and through a lowly stunt they tried to get him to talk but he did not say anything to be ashamed of."

Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor) attacked Shinui following the disclosure of the tape saying, "It seems hiding behind Shinui's pure and innocent facade are schemes that attest the party, which pretends to be the most honest in politics, is run in the most corrupt manner and with the lowest kind of politics." Vilnai called on Lapid to treat Poraz the way he treated Paritzky and to fire him immediately since he "has proven his consistency [in upholding] party principles." Minister Vilnai also called on Attorney General Mani Mazuz to see whether charges can be pressed against MK Poraz for the remarks on the tape.

In another development an inquiry is underway to verify whether MK Chemi Doron (Shinui) acted to promote a construction project in which a relative of her spokeswoman, R. Glass, is involved according to reporter Yoav Yitzchak.

According to the report, MK Doron contacted Knesset Economic Committee Chairman MK Amnon Cohen to request the committee discuss the issue of high building permits at Glass's request. It remains unclear whether MK Doron, who is not associated with the committee, was aware Glass' relative was involved in the matter at the time of her request. Doron declined to issue an official statement.

 

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