The High Court of Justice on Wednesday morning announced the verdict in the fraud/bribery trial of former Finance Minister Avraham Hirschson, who was found guilty on a number of counts during his tenure in the Histadrut National Labor Federation.

Despite already having written out checks to return over NIS 2 million, Hirschson’s attorneys explain he is not guilty, but felt it was the correct move towards alleviating the pain caused the Histadrut by the disappearance of the funds.

The court sentenced the former minister to 5 years and 5 months in prison plus a NIS 450,000 fine, taking into account the funds he already returned.

Analysts are already stating the sentence is “not harsh or lenient, and quite appropriate for the crime”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)