The Supreme Court on Monday is expected to hear a petition brought by attorneys for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Shula Zaken, seeking to challenge the state’s plan to obtain a deposition from Moshe Talansky ahead of handing down a criminal indictment against Mr. Olmert.

Legal experts have ruled that once Talansky, an American citizen, leaves the country, he cannot be compelled to return. The state therefore wishes to obtain his testimony in the case, and has received approval from the Jerusalem District Court to do so. Talansky has signaled that he would return if compelled to do so to give testimony, but he also states that he is anxious to return to his home in American, primarily to be at his wife’s side, who is ill.

Officials in the prosecution admit such a move does somewhat compromise the defense counsel’s case, but add the reality does not bias the case as is being alleged, adding there are precedents for such action.

While the prime minister is not expected to be present during the hearing, he undoubtedly has uncomfortable feelings since one of the justices hearing the petition, Edna Arbel, was the state prosecutor in one of his other criminal cases in the 1990s, dealing with illegal funding in the Likud Party.

Following that case, Olmert was quoted in an Israel Bar Association publication making disparaging remarks in his reference to Arbel. The other justices who will hear the petition on Monday are Eliezer Rivlin and Salim Jubran.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)