the Knesset committee approved MK Haim Katz's request for immunity

wwwww

by Ifi Reporter Category:Politics Feb 4, 2020

On Tuesday evening, the Knesset committee approved MK Haim Katz's request for immunity, after he opened his second hearing this morning.
The committee voted for granting immunity to Katz in two of the three grounds he requested. In voting on the first cause, with the support of 16 Knesset members in opposition to 10 and 4 abstentions, the Knesset committee decided to grant Katz immunity from prosecution on fraud and breach of trust. Beyond the right-wing / ultra-Orthodox bloc, MK Oded Forer and MK Julia Malinowski also voted in favor. The ten opposing MKs were a white brush, the work-bridge, Meretz and the joint list.
4 Knesset members abstained were MK Ahmed Tibi and MK Mansour Abbas from the joint list, and MKs Zvika Hauser and Michael Biton a white brush. The resolution requires the approval of the Knesset plenum, which will probably gather next week to discuss and vote. The immunity is valid for the current Knesset, 22nd.
The debate has been going on for almost eight hours, during which members of the Knesset attacked Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who, according to them, poses an impossible threshold for the Knesset's work. Knesset Member Ayelet Shaked attacked his opinion stating the duty of proper disclosure in the event of a conflict of interest of Knesset members and said that it was not acceptable. MK Haim Katz, who was particularly excited, snapped at Mandelblit several times and was taken out of the court twice. On one occasion, he whispered to Mandelblit: "You are saying things here that were not and were not created as such. You've built an imaginary story, a thousand night and night. I hear things that were not. You didn't do any homework, you didn't research, because you didn't care. You hurt my health. "
The chairman of the committee asked MK Katz not to burst, and he replied, "You want me to shut up. I am a person, a straight person I have not lied in my life and my word, it is a word and this makes me a liar."
Katz, the last speaker at the hearing, made a central claim: Even after a few years, he did not gain anything from the legislation initiated by his associates, and it benefited the public. Among other things, he said: "There is a material dispute between us and I am deeply hurt by the allegations against me. I believe that in my case you were wrong in the giant. But at the same time I respect you and the Attorney General's institution." I am a professional in the capital market from 1968 until I was appointed Minister. About 47 years. I consider myself well-versed in this field long before I knew Motti Ben Ari even though there are a lot of controversies between us and there is no economic partnership between us. "
Katz added that "I am a man whose mouth and heart are equal. I do not remember when I lied and at the age of 72 I do not intend to lie even today. I paid a price for all these pursuits." I don't know how much time I have left to live. My daughter-in-law was not under pressure and she dropped. My dad had to pay 35% tax on his pension savings. We passed legislation on this. Look at the Rubber Speech YouTube video. But it has helped the public, the elderly who go with a plastic bag to the bank. You know what promotion it is to a researcher who is a minister of exploration. He can say 'I sewed a minister'. How much it lifts his ego. "
The indictment against Katz was filed this summer for fraud and breach of trust, in a case investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The indictment led to Katz's resignation from the role of welfare minister. The indictment states that because of Katz's role as chairman of the Knesset's Labor, Welfare and Health Committee, he promoted a bill that could have benefited him and his friend Moti Ben Ari, while at the same time operating in the capital market with Ben Ari, and his investment portfolio grew by NIS millions period.
According to the indictments, in 2010, Katz put on the Knesset table, initiated by Ben Ari, a private bill on his behalf - Amendment 44 to the Securities Law - intended to change the oblivion of insolvent companies, so that "ordinary" bondholders would advance Oblivion to controlling shareholders
According to the indictment, the amendment could have brought a significant economic advantage to Aquito Investment Company where Ben Ari worked, personally and also to Knesset Member Katz, who also held bonds of hardship companies. " Amendment 44 put Katz in sharp conflict of interest between his private affairs and his public office, "the indictment states. Katz and his attorney denied any connection between the bill and his relationship with Ben Ari.
"Attribution of a breach of trust is an attempt to establish, on Katz's back, requirements and norms that do not exist in a legislative process in a democratic state, and may impose unreasonable restrictions on the functioning of the Knesset. The Knesset Ethics Committee, which discussed the matter in 2011, found reason to fault Katz's behavior , But believed that things did not even cost an ethical offense. "
In the previous hearing, the Mandelblit Court faced criticism from Knesset members from across the political spectrum, who demanded clarification on the significance of the indictment against the Knesset and its work. - Knesset members' activities, including legislation, affect the public, and it is clear that either they or their associates can benefit or be harmed, so there is a problem with defining conflicts of interest.

661 Views

Comments

No comments have been left here yet. Be the first who will do it.
Safety

captchaPlease input letters you see on the image.
Click on image to redraw.

ABOUT IFI TODAY

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum

Testimonials

No testimonials. Click here to add your testimonials.