The Walla! website has reported that in his first comments about the suspension of the submarines deal with Germany, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the deal would go through. "Things will clear up, and the deal will go through," he said in a press briefing for reporters accompanying him on his visit to Europe. "They're waiting to see how the investigation will end. After the investigation is concluded, the deal will be signed. There's an investigation - let it take place."
Netanyahu insisted that he had no connection to the submarines affair, saying, "I told you that I'm not involved in submarines and ships. That's becoming clear now." He rejected allegations and reports that Israel had approved the sale of the German submarines to Egypt, saying, "It's Germany's decision, not Israel's. It's not our decision to approve or not approve. We expressed our opinion, and anything else being spoken of publicly is irresponsible." He stressed, "I'm responsible for Israel's security. The desire to harm me is exceeding all bounds, and is now affecting Israel's security. That's irresponsible."
Commenting on the involvement of his lawyer and confidant Advocate David Shimron in the submarines affair, Netanyahu said, "I had no idea that Shimron was involved - when it's over, I'll give my opinion." He refused to make a moral or value assessment in the case, saying, "I don't what is and what isn't corruption in the submarines affair. The decisions inside the system were transparent and objective. I'm not judging the people - there's a presumption of innocence. I don't know whether or not something will come out of this. Who told you that there was corruption? Show me one person who was convicted. What are you talking about? The allegations against Shimron will turn out to be fabrications. That was the focus."
Netanyahu also commented on another confident, Ministry of Communications director general Shlomo Filber, who is involved in the Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) affair. "I know him as an honest and upstanding man. I know that none of the decisions we were supposed to have made was beneficial to Bezeq, and none of them was tainted by a conflict of interest. A person is presumed innocent. All of this is just clouds and more clouds in order to confuse matters."
Netanyahu declared, "My guardianship over the public interest has not vanished; it's present and accounted for. My decisions are completely objective. The issue is not the prime minister's attacks against the media; it's the media's attacks against the prime minister. It has reached unprecedented proportions. You can't absolve yourselves of responsibility. A story has been made up, and it's sinking into the deep."
Commenting on the stationing of metal detectors on the Temple Mount, Netanyahu said, "As of now, there's no change. No other decision has been made so far." He is expected to conduct security consultations about security and metal detectors on the Temple Mount, after holding such consultations earlier today with the participation of Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs, and Information Gilad Erdan and other security officials.
Netanyahu told the correspondents accompanying him on his visit to Europe that Israel was in constant contact with Jordan and the Arab world about the placing of metal detectors and the restoration of tranquility to the Temple Mount, and was explaining that the status quo there had not been changed. "We expect everyone to contribute to restoring quiet. They should keep their eyes on the fact and the truth - there is no change in the status quo; there's an attempt to prevent a recurrence of violent attacks with weapons on the Temple Mount," he said. Netanyahu pointed out that early this week, on his visit to Paris, he had visited the Eifel Tower, and new metal detectors had been installed there, following changes in security.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on July 20, 2017
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