Attorney-General Meni Mazuz has announced that he finds the evidence against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the case known as the Greek Island affair to be lacking. Mazuz said that he has therefore ordered the case to be closed.
Mazuz quoted a long list of professional opinions since the suspicions were first raised stating that the evidence was insufficient to indict Sharon and his son Gilad.
The Attorney-General emphasized that he is of the opinion that high government officials must be made to meet the same standards as any other citizen. He also said that wherever there is a reasonable doubt in a case, he is of the opinion that the decision should not be left for the court, but rather that charges should not be brought. In this case, Mazuz emphasized, the evidence is not even close to being sufficient for a conviction.
The decision is assumed to pave the way for the Labor Party to enter the coalition and form a national unity government. Labor MKs have long said that they could not join the government until the cloud of suspicion hanging over Sharon had disappeared.
The investigation of Prime Minister Sharon centered on suspicions that he knew of the high salary - 3 million shekels - that businessman David Appel gave to Sharon's son Gilad, and that this and other sums were designed to secure political favors beneficial for Appel's business plans in Greece. Prime Minister Sharon was questioned twice, last month and four months ago, by senior police investigators in connection with the corruption allegations. Mr. Sharon's sons, Gilad and Omri, were also questioned by police and maintained silence.
Mazuz's decision flew in the face of a strong recommendation by the previous State Prosecutor, Edna Arbel, who has since been appointed to the Supreme Court. Arbel was very much in favor of indicting Sharon on the charges.
Mazuz quoted opinions paising Gilad Sharon's professional abilities and contribution to the project - apparently in response to oft-repeated charges that Gilad received a high salary for doing very little work.
Sharon still faces an investigation in an affair known as the "Cyril Kern gift" case. This investigation is not expected to be completed for over a year, however.
Mazuz quoted a long list of professional opinions since the suspicions were first raised stating that the evidence was insufficient to indict Sharon and his son Gilad.
The Attorney-General emphasized that he is of the opinion that high government officials must be made to meet the same standards as any other citizen. He also said that wherever there is a reasonable doubt in a case, he is of the opinion that the decision should not be left for the court, but rather that charges should not be brought. In this case, Mazuz emphasized, the evidence is not even close to being sufficient for a conviction.
The decision is assumed to pave the way for the Labor Party to enter the coalition and form a national unity government. Labor MKs have long said that they could not join the government until the cloud of suspicion hanging over Sharon had disappeared.
The investigation of Prime Minister Sharon centered on suspicions that he knew of the high salary - 3 million shekels - that businessman David Appel gave to Sharon's son Gilad, and that this and other sums were designed to secure political favors beneficial for Appel's business plans in Greece. Prime Minister Sharon was questioned twice, last month and four months ago, by senior police investigators in connection with the corruption allegations. Mr. Sharon's sons, Gilad and Omri, were also questioned by police and maintained silence.
Mazuz's decision flew in the face of a strong recommendation by the previous State Prosecutor, Edna Arbel, who has since been appointed to the Supreme Court. Arbel was very much in favor of indicting Sharon on the charges.
Mazuz quoted opinions paising Gilad Sharon's professional abilities and contribution to the project - apparently in response to oft-repeated charges that Gilad received a high salary for doing very little work.
Sharon still faces an investigation in an affair known as the "Cyril Kern gift" case. This investigation is not expected to be completed for over a year, however.