Former Governor of the Bank of Israel Jacob Frenkel yesterday gave the Bank of Israel a bank draft for all the exceptional payments he received, as cited in the State Comptroller's report. Former Minister of Finance Dr. Yaakov Neeman, Frenkel's lawyer, made the announcement to the Knesset State Control Committee.
Neeman did not disclose the amount of the draft, although the State Comptroller's report mentioned tens of thousands of dollars. As reported in "Globes", Neeman was one of three committee members who approved who approved payments for Frenkel into a special fund set up to accumulate academic rights.
In Frenkel's letter to the committee members, he writes, "If the Attorney General rules I was not entitled to the any money, the Bank of Israel will retain the draft. If he rules I was entitled to all or part of the sum, the Bank of Israel will presumably return it to me."
State Comptroller and Public Complaints Commissioner Eliezer Goldberg opened the committee session. He said, "Despite the attempts to cover up the facts and distort the findings, the facts on the ground are plain and simple. The governor of the Bank of Israel's salary and increments were clearly established at the time as linked to those of a cabinet minister.
"We found that Frenkel received increments which ministers did not receive, involving redemption of sick leave, vacation, expense accounts, and his request for a special fund set up to accumulate academic rights."
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on May 13, 2002