Minister Haim Katz to be questioned in corruption probe
Investigators to question welfare and labor minister on suspicion that workers at the Israel Aerospace Industries were blackmailed into supporting Katz and his Likud faction when he presided over the chairmanship of the company's workers' committee.
Thus far, the police have investigated a host of workers in the IAI and arrested a number of them, including Katz’s son Yair and his close associate Eli Cohen.
Investigators suspect that a company in the north was granted rights to carry out work for the IAI in exchange for benefits awarded to senior officials—a contravention of procedures unfairly favoring other companies.
According to the investigators, the company has received what is known as ‘rolling orders,’ meaning that each time a payment for an order ran out, another order would be issued for it. One of the suspects involved is the member of the Likud Central Committee and a member of the Histadrut party.
During the investigation, it became clear to the police that they were searching for information related to Katz. According to the evidence collected, the investigation of Katz is likely to focus on the functions of workers in the Likud Party during the period when he was chairman of the committee.
The evidence indicates that the workers of the IAI were pressured into giving their support to Chairman Katz and his faction on condition that they would be promoted in the company and circumstances in the workplace would be improved.
Sources close to Minister Katz expressed anger at what they described as "a well orchestrated campaign of slander in the media in an attempt to harm Minister Katz's name and his many years of public service. The minister is not afraid and will deal with the investigation, if and when he is summoned."
