This is how the names of Atias, Gafni and Deri became entangled in the corruption affair

February 4, 2015   

 In recent weeks, 10 recordings were revealed on the news describing the mechanism for writing off debts to the state that was allegedly operated by MK Faina Kirshenbaum and the Yisrael Beiteinu leadership.

In those recordings, the names of ministers and Knesset members, past and present, were revealed as being allegedly involved in the corruption affair.

The case of some of those MKs is currently being examined by police investigators, while the case of others has not even reached the level of a police investigation.

 In the recordings revealed this evening (Wednesday) on Channel 10, additional names are mentioned, including MKs Ze'ev Elkin and Yoel Edelstein from the Likud, Aryeh Deri and Ariel Atias from Shas, Moshe Gafni, and former MK Zion Pinyan from the Likud.

All those allegedly involved in the affair deny their involvement. According to journalist Baruch Kara's report, the police are investigating claims and documentation that MK Elkin arranged for a million shekels to be transferred from his party's coalition funds, in order to write off debts owed by the Samaria Development Company to the state.

The National Fraud Investigations Unit is investigating suspicions of false registration, bribery, and embezzlement totaling over 10 million shekels at the Samaria Development Company, which is headed by the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Gershon Mesika.

The suspicions relate to the period when the company was managed by Haim Ben Shoshan.

According to the suspicion, Masika was promised that the state would cancel debts owed to the company he heads, and in return, he helped arrange positions and transfer funds to people connected to Yisrael Beiteinu. In addition, the nature of the relationship between the head of the council, Masika, and the company's former manager, Ben Shoshan, was examined.

Here is the transcript of Ben Shoshan's recording:

Ben Shoshan: "There will be a collective earthquake here. I'll give you the list of people who are definitely going to stab them. They've been looking for Yvette Lieberman for 15 years? He, Faina, is the director general of the Ministry of Agriculture.".

 His associate: "Who is this?""

 Ben Shoshan: "Rami Cohen.".

 His associate: "Rami Cohen?""

 Ben Shoshan: "Alex, the publicist, of...""

 Associate: "Alex?""

 Ben Shoshan: "Elkin, what's his name, Pernian (Finian), Gafni.".

 His associate: "Gaffney? But he doesn't belong to them.".

 Ben Shoshan: "He did all sorts of, I'm telling you, I'm not just telling you things. Gafni, the former Housing Minister Ariel Atias.".

 His associate: "Attias too?""

 Ben Shoshan: "Yes, some, friends of Aryeh Deri.".

 His associate: "Aria Deri is also inside?""

 Ben Shoshan: "Yes, listen, there's a junta here that for years has been impossible to reach, to break through. Now I'll explain to you what, the development company, they wrote off their debts and the development company paid them a 'commission' for writing off the debts of fifty percent.".

 His associate: "But how does it work out?""

 Ben Shoshan: "Listen, what is this, how...""

 His associate: "You're writing off debts, why do you even deserve a commission?""

 Ben Shoshan: "You don't understand, what is this? I brought this money - I deserve a commission.".

It should be noted that none of those mentioned were invited for questioning, and it is likely that they will not be invited either.

MK Aryeh Deri told Channel 10: "The difficult situation of the Shas movement's education network would have been avoided if I had had someone to talk to at the Finance Ministry in recent years. There were never any issues.".

 MK Moshe Gafni's response: "I assisted them with the Ministry of Finance, as I did with thousands of entities in the country from all segments of the population. There is no connection between Mr. Melamed and the issue. When the Finance Ministry's legal advisor raised objections to the matter and stopped it, I stopped the treatment and I have no idea how the matter ended.".

תגובת ח"כ יולי אדלשטיין: "מעולם לא פעלתי לשם מחיקת חובות של החברה לפיתוח השומרון". זאב אלקין מסר בתגובה: "מעולם לא היה קשר ישיר ביני לבין מנכ"ל החברה לפיתוח השומרון. אני מכחיש בתוקף את הטענות שהוא מייחס לי. בכל שנותיי כחבר כנסת ובכל פעילותי למען ההתיישבות ביהודה ושומרון תמיד פעלתי כחוק".