The latest name to be connected to the Holyland bribery affair is former Azorim CEO Shmuel Deckner. He served as a consultant to businessman Avigdor Kelner, who owns a stake in the Holyland real estate project in Jerusalem, and was arrested on suspicion of bribery last week.

As a consultant Deckner used the services of former Ministry of Environmental Protection director general Nehama Ronen to help persuade green organizations to relinquish a claim on part of the park. He also employed Adv. Moshe Shimoni, a former director general of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to persuade various authority heads to approve the plan. It was Deckner who hired Adv. Uri Messer, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's friend and partner, to represent him and work on his behalf to get approvals for construction of the Holyland project.

In this way Deckner was able to charm his partners with the magic word "Olmert."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 13, 2010

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