Two Shinui activists belonging to Yosef Paritzky's camp have
a recording of MK Avraham Poraz allegedly offering them a
flight abroad and other benefits if they stopped operating
like an opposition within the Shinui Party, according to a
television report.
During its news broadcast Channel One played the tape, in
which the MK can be heard offering to pay for two flights for
Shinui Council members Gadi Ben Shmuel and Gabi Balgar if
they stopped disparaging him.
According to the report the two regularly butt at Poraz in
their newsletter, "Shinui BeShinui." On 30 Nisan (9
May) Poraz spoke with them in the corridor during a Shinui
Council meeting in Tel Aviv, offering to turn over a new leaf
in their relations.
In the tape Poraz can be heard saying, "If you want to turn
over a new leaf of cooperation, stop publishing the
newsletter. I can easily give you an open door. If you think
from time to time you need a trip abroad, I'm prepared to
pay."
Speaking on Channel One, Gadi Ben Shmuel said, "Poraz wanted
us to close down the newsletter and in exchange he offered us
trips abroad. `The door is open,' he said. `Come with
proposals.' As much as he could give, trips abroad, jobs, all
kinds of things. In practice he controls Shinui's
finances."
In reaction Poraz said, "The conversation with the two was an
inconsequential talk in the hall held at their initiative and
its whole objective was to set me up again, just like MK
Yosef Paritzky tried to do. The two are loyal Paritzky
followers he left in Shinui to use as a Trojan horse and did
not join the new party, but their close associates did
join."
Shinui's Knesset Chairwoman Reshef Chen said Ben Shmuel and
Balgar "are Paritzky's partners in acts of corruption and
mafia techniques that have no place in the Shinui Party. In
the coming days steps will be taken to remove them and have
them join their partner, Paritzky."
Shinui Chairman Tomi Lapid called the pair "overgrown weeds
whose presence we won't tolerate in our clean party. Their
target is the cleanest politician in the Knesset and through
a lowly stunt they tried to get him to talk but he did not
say anything to be ashamed of."
Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor) attacked Shinui following the
disclosure of the tape saying, "It seems hiding behind
Shinui's pure and innocent facade are schemes that attest the
party, which pretends to be the most honest in politics, is
run in the most corrupt manner and with the lowest kind of
politics." Vilnai called on Lapid to treat Poraz the way he
treated Paritzky and to fire him immediately since he "has
proven his consistency [in upholding] party principles."
Minister Vilnai also called on Attorney General Mani Mazuz to
see whether charges can be pressed against MK Poraz for the
remarks on the tape.
In another development an inquiry is underway to verify
whether MK Chemi Doron (Shinui) acted to promote a
construction project in which a relative of her spokeswoman,
R. Glass, is involved according to reporter Yoav Yitzchak.
According to the report, MK Doron contacted Knesset Economic
Committee Chairman MK Amnon Cohen to request the committee
discuss the issue of high building permits at Glass's
request. It remains unclear whether MK Doron, who is not
associated with the committee, was aware Glass' relative was
involved in the matter at the time of her request. Doron
declined to issue an official statement.
