Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 10/08 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 4. Mai – 18. Mai 2008 1. Korruptionsaffäre um Olmert Gegen den israelischen Premierminister Ehud Olmert läuft ein Korruptionsverfahren. Dies ist bereits das vierte Mal in Olmerts politischer Karriere, dass er wegen Korruptionsvorwürfen untersucht wird – bisher bewies er sich immer wieder als politisches„Stehaufmännchen“. Die neuen An­schuldigungen scheinen jedoch besonders schwerwiegend zu sein. Es geht um Bestechungs­gelder in Höhe von Hunderttausenden Dollar, die der amerikanischer Geschäftsmann Morris Talansky an ihn gezahlt haben soll. Olmert besteht darauf, dass es sich bei den Geldern um legale Wahl­kampfspenden handelte, kündigte aber auch seinen Rücktritt im Falle einer Anklage an. Der Ruf nach seinem Rücktritt war bereits aus allen politischen Richtungen laut geworden. In den Medien gab es zudem Kritik am Wahlkampfsystem in Israel, das die Kandidaten zwingt, riesige Geldmengen aufzu­bringen, und an der Nachrichtensperre, die es der Presse verbot über Details des Verfahrens zu berichten. The Olmert scandal „Clearly, this is not a good time for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to be focused on anything but running the country, addressing a vital range of security, foreign policy and(let's not forget) domestic agenda issues.[…] But realistically speaking, how can he be paying complete attention to his job and his health while under multiple investigations by police and prosecutors? Given the composition of his governing coalition and absent an indictment, Olmert may be able to hang on as prime minister even as the investigation continues. And it must be stressed that he is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.[…] Israel's governance is simply too challenging a burden for a leader preoccupied with facing down investigators in a complex financial scandal. If the prime minister cannot put this latest scandal to rest without delay, he must hand over the reins of power. The welfare of the country demands it.“ JPO 10.05.08 Olmert's system " In the Olmert school of politics, one can learn how to connect with the wealthy members of world Jewry, how to get them to support the party the candidate is representing at any given moment, how to operate on the borderline of the law[…]. This is not how politics should be conducted, and if Olmert says there is no choice but to raise money from the wealthy, he will be doing an injustice to other politicians- those that are no less talented, but far more honest and modest, who make do with party funds. The law designates what is permissible and what is forbidden in relation to raising funds in Israel and abroad, and the manipulators and those who walk on the edge interpret the law and bend it to their needs, laughing in the face of those who keep the law." HAA, 11.05.08 Find a better way “ The State of Israel is about to mark its 60th Independence Day[…], when world leaders will be arriving to help us mark this extraordinary accomplishment. The decision to authorize the police to pursue a completely new investigation just now embarrasses not just the premier, but the entire nation. Could this probe really not have waited a few more weeks?[…] And if there wasn't a better way, and the timing was unavoidable, isn't it curious that a gag order is preventing this newspaper from fully reporting on the nature of the investigation and keeping Olmert from presenting his side of the story.[…] Buffeted by a drawn-out- and to this day unresolved - investigation of a sitting president(now out of 1