The state prosecutor has expressed strong objections to a request from Shas officials to President Shimon Peres to pardon former party minister R’ Shlomo Benizri, who is about to begin a four-year jail term following his fraud bribery trial.

The prosecution is also demanding that Benizri begin serving his term on September 1st and that no delays be granted. Benizri is seeking to delay the sentence until 18 October, to permit him to spend the yomim tovim with his family.

The state however maintains the national interest is to see justice served and as such, the prison term must begin on schedule.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)