Attorney Uri Messer is in the midst of negotiations with the prosecution, seeking to cut a deal to turn state witness in the ongoing investigation against Ehud Olmert. Such a deal would grant Messer a modicum of immunity in return for revealing what he knows about Ehud Olmert’s alleged criminal activities. Messer, an attorney, is a longtime friend and associate of the prime minister dating back to the days when Mr. Olmert maintained a law practice. There are a number of other suspects in the case that are also trying to cut a deal with the state before the court-imposed gag order on the investigation is lifted.

Speaking on Radio Kol Chai on Monday night, veteran investigative journalist Yoav Yitzchak, who has uncovered many a major scandal in Israel and has been investigating Olmert for years, stated the prime minister will be taken down as a result of this latest investigation. Stressing that all the information is alleged until Olmert if found guilty in a court of law, Yitzchak stated with confidence that the prime minister over the years, dating back to his tenure as Jerusalem mayor, was involved in fraud, bribery, theft, extortion and other criminal activities, adding the top of the list, that which the gag order surrounds, will be the bombshell that will bring an abrupt end to the current administration.

Yitzchak stated that even if Olmert is not legally or in his eyes morally not compelled to step down when the gag order is lifted, the coalition in all likelihood will break apart since coalition partners will not be able to justify remaining in a government headed by Olmert when the details of the case are made public.

Yitzchak stated that in all likelihood, the gag order will be lifted in the coming days or perhaps weeks, once the state is confident that the prosecution and police have gathered sufficient evidence against the prime minister.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)