It is becoming apparently likely that if the case against high-level government employees is as strong as police signal to be the case, there will be many vacancies in the civil service community when criminal indictments are filed. To date, well over 30 suspects have been detained, questioned and/or arrested. This includes a currently serving deputy minister, a former cabinet minister, mayors, heads of local and regional councils and director-generals of government ministries.

In the latest development in the ongoing case, Israel Police’s 433 Unit (Israel’s FBI) announces a very senior official in Israel Lands Administration is the latest suspect to be arrested and questioned in the case. Joining this person is a former Member of Knesset. As has been the case with many of the previous suspects questioned, they are being questioned ‘under warning’, which usually indicates there is sufficient evidence to move ahead with a criminal indictment. The arrests follow months of a covert operation that senior Israel Police officials insist compelled them to go public with the case and begin making arrests.

As with the others, allegations against the latest suspects include breach of public trust, bribery and other white collar crimes. When the latest suspects were arrested, police searched their offices including the Israel Lands Administration.

Investigators point out Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein is being kept apprised of every step in the case due to the high profile of many of the suspects involved.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)