The Israel Police said Sunday there is sufficient evidence to indict Welfare and Labor Minister Haim Katz and other senior Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) officials on corruption charges.
According to Ynetnew site Minister Katz who was questioned by police on several occasions for a total of some 10 hours is suspected of fraudulently obtaining benefits fraud and breach of trust and extortion and intimidation. His son Yair Katz is suspected of the same offenses.
Katz served as the head of the workers’ union at the IAI. Other suspects include current head of the workers’ union Ehud Nof several union members—including the minister’s son Yair Katz and close associate Eli Cohen—and Brig. Gen. (res.) Amal Asad who served as a member of the IAI board of directors.
The others are suspected of fraud and breach of trust and extortion and intimidation among other things.
“I expected nothing else of the police” Katz said in response to the police recommendation. “It’s obvious they can’t admit that the massive amount of resources they invested in this bizarre investigation were for naught.”
“Anyone who isn’t blind and knows what the investigation is about understands there is nothing to this and there is no basis to these delusional allegations” he continued.
Katz and other senior union members are suspected of abusing their position for their own benefit according to a statement issued by the police.
Katz allegedly received assistance from union members and in return helped them receive high-paying jobs both inside the IAI and outside of it.
After being elected into office Katz allegedly acted against instructions from the attorney general when he intervened in the appointment of the IAI board of directors chairman and interfered in internal issues relating to the IAI’s workers’ union.
He is also suspected of using IAI resources and employees for his own benefit to the tune of thousands of shekels while holding public office.
