The parliamentary committee of inquiry for identifying and restoring the Israeli assets of Holocaust victims yesterday reached an understanding with banks’ representatives on an external examination of dormant accounts and unclaimed safe deposit boxes in Israeli banks, in order to identify their owners or their heirs. If the owners are Holocaust victims, the assets will be restored to their rightful owners.
The draft document outlining the understandings was drawn up by the parties at a closed meting in Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg’s (One Israel) office. It was decided that the examination would start in two weeks and be financed by the banks. The external examiners will be appointed by a tenders committee including the Supervisor of Banks and Union of Banks representative. A consultative committee will be set up to assist the committee of inquiry in steering and overseeing the investigation. The committee will be led by a public figure of high repute and staffed by academics, economists and Knesset members.
The examination will be carried out as quickly as possible. Within two weeks, the parties will sign an MOU, the drafting of which has been entrusted to the legal advisers of the Knesset and the banks.
Commttee member MK Michael Eitan (Herut – National Movement Party) criticized the decision to let the banks finance an investigation of their own actions. He argued that this is a reprehensible procedure that would cast heavy doubt on the outcome of the inquiry. Kleiner also voiced apprehension that the consultative committee might obstruct the inquiry committee in overseeing the examination.
Kleiner also leveled sharp criticism at Burg’s involvement in the work of parliamentary committees of inquiry, which he described as unprecedented, and termed “suspicious and exaggerated. Kleiner argued that Burg and inquiry committee MK Colette Avital (One Israel Party) had reached an understanding with the banks behind the backs of other committee members.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 15 November, 2000