The website said that investigators from the National Fraud Investigation Unit arrived at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Jerusalem, searched the offices and confiscated materials, as part of an investigation into suspicions of issuing diplomatic passports to those who are not entitled to hold such a passport.
According to the police, the National Fraud Investigation Unit launched a covert investigation a few weeks ago into suspicions that diplomatic passports were being issued to people who were not entitled to them because they did not meet the requirements for obtaining a diplomatic passport.
“There is complete shock here, there is massive corruption in the processing of passports,” said the foreign ministry workers. “There is interference from politicians, pressure to provide passports to people who do not pass the tests.”
The Israeli website reported that when Eli Cohen was Foreign Minister (currently Energy Minister), he received a warning against issuing a diplomatic passport to Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister’s son, claiming that this was “explosive material” and there was no reason to grant him such a passport. But Cohen, who had then entered the Foreign Ministry, insisted and ordered the issuance of a diplomatic passport.
In May, the Movement for Freedom of Information revealed a list of Israelis holding diplomatic passports. This is a partial list, also provided by the Foreign Ministry after insisting on hiding it for months, despite the court ruling in the Movement’s petition that the information must be published.
Some of the people who received diplomatic passports are Yair and Avner Netanyahu, Yesha Yisrael Council Chairman Gantz, Regional Council Chairman Shai Alhaj, Dimona Mayor Benny Biton, Local Government Center Chairman Haim Bibes, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion.
Source: Ynet
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2024-08-08 00:47:59
