After consulting with the state attorney, Ministry of Justice officials and the police, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has instructed the police to examine various aspects of the submarine affair after new information has come to light. Mandelblit stressed that at this stage an examination was being conducted by Israel Police and that there was not enought evidence to warrant a criminal investigation.
The affair revolves around alleged contacts between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his confidant and personal lawyer Adv. David Shimron and German company ThyssenKrupp. Shimron represents ThyssenKrupp, and earlier this week Channel 10 claimed Netanyahu promoted procurement of €1.5 billion of submarines from the German company despite objections by defense establishment professionals. There is the question of whether Netanyahu and Shimron ever discussed the matter.
Shimron said through his media advisor Eli Shaked, "I welcome the Attorney General's decision to open a probe. I trust and feel sure that after matters will be examined by a professional objective body, it will become clear that to all that there was nothing irregular in my actions and that everything was conducted according to the law regarding conflicts of interest. Obviously, I will cooperate with the investigators on everything as required."
Opposition MK Omer Barlev (Zionist Union) said, "I welcome the Attorney General's initiative who said with a clear voice what millions of Israeli citizens have understood for themselves in recent days. The many question marks form an exclamation mark leaving no place for ignoring the murky waters of the submarines. Mandelblit has been right not to sweep it under the carpet and it is for the good that the matter will be deeply examined."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 24, 2016
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