Former RADA general manager and president Haim Nissenson, today filed a NIS 1.2 million libel lawsuit with the Tel Aviv District Court, against former OC Air Force Herzl Bodinger, who replaced him at RADA. Nissenson claims that Bodinger was responsible for false media reports against him, relating to the mismanagement of RADA by him, and his responsibility for corporate defects and irregularities.
The plaintiff alleges that Bodinger, whom he brought to RADA, and welcomed with open arms, had proved, in retrospect, to be a "Trojan horse", indefatigably engaging in intrigue and subversion. Instead of occupying himself with the one and only purpose for which he was brought to RADA, Nissenson alleges, Bodinger was constantly plotting and intriguing in secret with subordinates whom he himself had brought into RADA.
According to Nissenson, Bodinger ill-repaid him for his kindness. Not only did he fraudulently and by dint of misrepresentation usurp his position as general manager, but also, adding insult to injury, he never ceased maligning him, both in Israel and abroad, by any means he chanced on.
Nissenson states that Bodinger made the acquaintance of the managers of McDonnell Douglas while serving as OC Air Force, and it was he who tipped the scales in favour of replenishment with that company’s F-15s.
According to Nissenson, Bodinger took advantage of his acquaintanceship with the McDonnell Douglas managers, once they became managers in Boeing, and got them to co-operate with him, in making a series of representations to the RADA board and certain RADA shareholders, according to which, if Bodinger replaced Nissenson, Boeing would enter and invest in RADA as a strategic partner. Bodinger, Nissenson maintained, made use of phrases such as "If Nissenson goes, Boeing will come in", and "if I tell the McDonnell Douglas president that I am neither general manager nor president, then there is no deal".
Nissenson alleges that he was forced to resign, so as not to pose any hindrance to the deal, all having regard to Bodinger’s representations, that his replacing him was an essential condition for the deal with Boeing to be concluded.
Three months ago, however, Boeing announced its decision not to enter into partnership in RADA. It transpired in retrospect, Nissenson maintains, that Bodinger abused his acquaintanceship with McDonnell Douglas in order to make a move, the entire purpose of which was to arrange himself a job and a position as general manager, with the aim of consolidating the groundwork for a take-over of RADA by him and his associates.
Nissenson alleges that Boeing delayed its final negative answer as to entering into partnership in RADA until January 15, 1999, simply as "a favour to Bodinger".
No defence has yet been filed.
Published by Israel's Business Arena March 9, 1999