Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held a press conference this evening in which he explained his version of the incident regarding the loan of $1.5 million from his long-time friend Cyril Kern. Sharon took advantage of his nationally-televised appearance to lash out at the Labor Party for its attempts to slander him and the Likud Party – and was cut off and silenced by Election Committee head Judge Michael Cheshin for engaging in forbidden electioneering.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to deliver the unique address to the nation after he and his advisors realized that this would be the only way to stop his party's downward slide in the polls. Surveys of a month ago showed that the Likud would have received some 40 seats, while now, after several weeks of press reports of Likud party corruption, it is down to about 30. The latest reports, specifically, regarding a loan given to Sharon's son Gilad, have caused the loss of additional public support, according to polls of yesterday.
The Prime Minister concluded his forceful remarks, 15 minutes of which were broadcast to the nation, by expressing his confidence that the Israeli nation would be able to “differentiate between the dirty politics of cheap slander, and the politics with which, with national responsibility, we continue to manage the complex affairs of the State of Israel.” He also attacked Labor for having acted irresponsibly by quitting the government three months ago at such a dangerous time for Israel.
Sharon repeatedly said that all his actions regarding the loan were proper and legal, and that he has nothing to hide. He emphasized that as opposed to Amram Mitzna and Ehud Barak, he voluntarily agreed to pay back all campaign donations beyond the permitted ceiling. “But a problem arose when it came to paying back almost five million shekels,” he said, “for I am not a man of means.” He said that he discussed the matter with his two sons, Omri and Gilad, and that he is not sure of the details – “I thought they mortgaged the family farm” – but somehow they obtained the required sum. “I have documentation that can prove that everything was done legally… Whoever leaked this story did not do so because he was seeking the truth.”
Mr. Sharon said that the Labor Party had embarked on a “witch hunt” against the entire Likud, trying to blacken the Likud’s name and present it as a bunch of mobsters – while at the same time “grave incidents of election forgeries” were discovered in Labor. He even noted that Mitzna himself was interrogated regarding two corruption scandals, and that his ties with Haifa contractors were recently publicized. “But although I took immediate action and distanced from the Likud anyone who was tarnished with criminal activity,” Sharon said, “and appointed a committee to change the Likud’s primaries system, Mitzna has done nothing – and he will do nothing, because Mitzna and the press that accompanies him with adulation are interested not in corruption, or in proper behavior, but only in blackening the Likud.”
“But despite the damage done to the Likud in the polls, Labor stayed stuck [in these polls], and Mitzna just didn’t take off [and gain support]. So they decided to strike out at my sons… about some island that my son Gilad bought, and the like… Gilad is a businessman, a successful one, and he has made money. I’m proud of him. He did everything legally and above board…” Referring to the attacks on his sons, Sharon yelled, “Have you gone crazy? Have you gone out of your minds?!” He used similar language when talking of the loan his old friend had given him: “He has no, and probably will not have, business interests in Israel… Is there anything I can give him? Have you gone totally crazy?!”
Regarding Mitzna’s demand that he tell the police his story, Sharon said, “What am I supposed to tell them? About the despicable gossip and the wretched rumors they are spreading? Did he go to the police about his corruption? I refuse to play this low-down game. If the police want to talk to me, they can come; I will hide nothing.”
Public Security Minister Dr. Uzi Landau said on Thursday that it was he who turned to Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein and asked him to launch an investigation regarding leaks to the media in the ongoing investigation against Prime Minister Sharon and his sons. Landau stated that the leaks to the press - widely believed to have come from the police, which are under Landau's ministerial auspices - are a grave matter. He declined to comment on the level of his satisfaction regarding the pace of the investigation. Rubenstein strongly condemned yesterday that the involvement of the law-enforcement bodies in the political system, and said that the leak was intended to influence the upcoming election.
National Union leader MK Avigdor Lieberman also said today that the leaks to Ha'aretz of the investigation of the loan to Sharon were "calculated to assist one side [in the electoral race]." Lieberman, who himself was more than once investigated and cleared of criminal charges - though not before being the subject of media 'leaks' - mentioned similar leaks regarding investigations against former government ministers Rafael Eitan, Avigdor Kahalani, and Yaakov Ne'eman, all affiliated with the political right-wing. He noted that all three were cleared of guilt. Ex-Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, too, was a similar "victim," immediately after leaving office.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to deliver the unique address to the nation after he and his advisors realized that this would be the only way to stop his party's downward slide in the polls. Surveys of a month ago showed that the Likud would have received some 40 seats, while now, after several weeks of press reports of Likud party corruption, it is down to about 30. The latest reports, specifically, regarding a loan given to Sharon's son Gilad, have caused the loss of additional public support, according to polls of yesterday.
The Prime Minister concluded his forceful remarks, 15 minutes of which were broadcast to the nation, by expressing his confidence that the Israeli nation would be able to “differentiate between the dirty politics of cheap slander, and the politics with which, with national responsibility, we continue to manage the complex affairs of the State of Israel.” He also attacked Labor for having acted irresponsibly by quitting the government three months ago at such a dangerous time for Israel.
Sharon repeatedly said that all his actions regarding the loan were proper and legal, and that he has nothing to hide. He emphasized that as opposed to Amram Mitzna and Ehud Barak, he voluntarily agreed to pay back all campaign donations beyond the permitted ceiling. “But a problem arose when it came to paying back almost five million shekels,” he said, “for I am not a man of means.” He said that he discussed the matter with his two sons, Omri and Gilad, and that he is not sure of the details – “I thought they mortgaged the family farm” – but somehow they obtained the required sum. “I have documentation that can prove that everything was done legally… Whoever leaked this story did not do so because he was seeking the truth.”
Mr. Sharon said that the Labor Party had embarked on a “witch hunt” against the entire Likud, trying to blacken the Likud’s name and present it as a bunch of mobsters – while at the same time “grave incidents of election forgeries” were discovered in Labor. He even noted that Mitzna himself was interrogated regarding two corruption scandals, and that his ties with Haifa contractors were recently publicized. “But although I took immediate action and distanced from the Likud anyone who was tarnished with criminal activity,” Sharon said, “and appointed a committee to change the Likud’s primaries system, Mitzna has done nothing – and he will do nothing, because Mitzna and the press that accompanies him with adulation are interested not in corruption, or in proper behavior, but only in blackening the Likud.”
“But despite the damage done to the Likud in the polls, Labor stayed stuck [in these polls], and Mitzna just didn’t take off [and gain support]. So they decided to strike out at my sons… about some island that my son Gilad bought, and the like… Gilad is a businessman, a successful one, and he has made money. I’m proud of him. He did everything legally and above board…” Referring to the attacks on his sons, Sharon yelled, “Have you gone crazy? Have you gone out of your minds?!” He used similar language when talking of the loan his old friend had given him: “He has no, and probably will not have, business interests in Israel… Is there anything I can give him? Have you gone totally crazy?!”
Regarding Mitzna’s demand that he tell the police his story, Sharon said, “What am I supposed to tell them? About the despicable gossip and the wretched rumors they are spreading? Did he go to the police about his corruption? I refuse to play this low-down game. If the police want to talk to me, they can come; I will hide nothing.”
Public Security Minister Dr. Uzi Landau said on Thursday that it was he who turned to Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein and asked him to launch an investigation regarding leaks to the media in the ongoing investigation against Prime Minister Sharon and his sons. Landau stated that the leaks to the press - widely believed to have come from the police, which are under Landau's ministerial auspices - are a grave matter. He declined to comment on the level of his satisfaction regarding the pace of the investigation. Rubenstein strongly condemned yesterday that the involvement of the law-enforcement bodies in the political system, and said that the leak was intended to influence the upcoming election.
National Union leader MK Avigdor Lieberman also said today that the leaks to Ha'aretz of the investigation of the loan to Sharon were "calculated to assist one side [in the electoral race]." Lieberman, who himself was more than once investigated and cleared of criminal charges - though not before being the subject of media 'leaks' - mentioned similar leaks regarding investigations against former government ministers Rafael Eitan, Avigdor Kahalani, and Yaakov Ne'eman, all affiliated with the political right-wing. He noted that all three were cleared of guilt. Ex-Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, too, was a similar "victim," immediately after leaving office.