US man central to Olmert's future

The Israeli courts are keeping a tight lid on disclosures in the unfolding new investigation of PM Ehud Olmert. We are under a gag order in the case that prevents us in Israel from directly writing about the details.

But that doesn't mean that the details aren't leaking out.

The man said to be at the center of the case is Moshe "Morris" Talansky, a 75-year-old New York businessman with long ties to Olmert who apparently was known as "the Laundry Man."

According to The New York Post, Talansky was questioned by authorities when he came to Israel to celebrate Passover.

The story quotes a source who says that Talansky is referred to "the Laundry Man" in financial logs kept by Olmert's longtime aide, Shula Zaken, who has been under house arrest for a week while undergoing repeated questioning.

Talansky, the story notes, is believed to have passed cash to Olmert in the 1990s when he was serving as mayor of Jerusalem.

Last week, Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth reported that an unnamed US businessman was believed to have passed cash bribes to Olmert in the 1990s.

Photographers have been staking out Talansky's Jerusalem apartment for days and hoped to catch sight of the businessman this morning during a court hearing on the case.

In the court, the judge extended the gag order, but is allowing journalists here to report that a request has been made to hold a special, urgent court deposition of an unnamed "foreign national."

"There is nothing in this to attest that an indictment has been submitted against the respondents in the request – Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Ms. Shula Zaken," the court wrote. "This is an investigation that began in recent days and the request is necessary given the circumstances under discussion."

There's no good time for a political scandal to surface, but this one comes literally on the eve of Israel's 60th anniversary this Wednesday, an event that will draw a long list of foreign dignitaries, including a visit next from President Bush.

It also comes on the eve of Israel's Memorial Day on Wednesday.

Israeli Police spokeswoman Iris Barak said it would be bad for the country to release details now.

"Nobody wants to hear such things on a national day of mourning," said Barak.

Olmert has managed to survive every political scandal and challenge to his leadership so far. But his opponents can smell the blood in the water once again and are trying their best to use it topple Olmert...

(AP Photo of Olmert/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

Comments

[david]

Primw minister olmert planed to give the Golan Heights back to Asad.