Partners and sub. probe suspects Mohlo (L) and Shimron
Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg, Yariv Katz
Ganor accuses Shimron of seeking 20% cut of sub. deal
State witness Ganor meets PM's lawyer, confidant Shimron in police confrontation, accuses him of acting not as attorney but lobbyist; Ganor alleges Shimron took several meetings to promote deal, was set to receive a 20 percent cut from its profits; Shimron denies all allegations; Ganor also confronts PM's associate and former envoy Molho, alleging he dealt with Germans on deal.
Attorney David Shimron, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attorney, cousin and confidant, was faced with state witness Miki Ganor in a police confrontation over the Submarine Affair, during which Ganor claimed Shimron did not conduct himself as an attorney but rather as a lobbyist promoting a deal in order to profit from it.
"You held meetings with me and with others to promote the deal. You were supposed to get 20 percent from its earnings," the state witness accused Shimron.
State's witness Ganor (L) confronted PM's attorney Shimron, alleging he was due to receive 20% cut from submarine deal (Photo: Yuval Hen, Orel Cohen)
Unmoved, Shimron denied the allegation. "That's not true, there was no such agreement," he retorted.
The Submarine Affair alleges that senior Israeli military and government officials received illegal payments from the German ThyssenKrupp company, which supplied all six of the IDF’s submarines, intended to sway tenders to build surface vessels and submarines for the Israeli Navy in the company's favor.
The confrontation between Ganor and Shimron, who was the former's attorney in the past, lasted several hours and was said to have been reserved.
After signing a state witness agreement, Ganor told his interrogators how significant his relationship with Shimron was. "You held more and more meetings, such as one instance of meeting the German ambassador in (Chef) Haim Cohen's Yaffo Tel Aviv restaurant. We spoke about promoting the deal there," Ganor said.
Shimron leaving for the confrontation with Ganor (Photo: Yariv Katz)
"You promised to promote the deal with the Germans for me. You stood to gain from it," Ganor claimed. Shimron denied this allegation as well.
Ganor continued alleging Shimron worked to promote the deal as the prime minister's confidant. "You were supposed to solve any problems that may crop up. We've held several meetings in Jerusalem with different people. It wasn't in your position as an attorney. It was in order to promote the deal," he asserted.
Ganor was also confronted with attorney Isaac Molho, albeit a shorter, more minor meeting, in which the prime minister's associate confirmed meeting Ganor several times when he arrived to Shimron's offices. "Molho was supposed to do the work with the Germans," Ganor claimed.
Molho leaving for the confrontation (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
Attorneys Shimron and Molho were once again called in for interrogation by the police for several hours Monday, their third this week.
Molho's name was cleared for publication Tuesday, 48 hours after he was initially detained for questioning. Molho (72) is Shimron's partner and the two are considered Netanyahu's closest advisors and confidants.
The relationship between the three dates back decades. Molho is part of a prominent Jerusalem family and knew the prime minister since the latter was a child. After the Six Day War, Molho married Shlomit Shimron, daughter to major attorney Erwin Shimron and sister to his later partner David.
News broke recently of Molho resigning from his position as the prime minister's envoy. Sources in the police presumed this move was related to Molho suspecting the investigation may reach him eventually.
Molho recently resigned from his position as the PM's envoy, allegedly due to anticipating the investigation will reach him (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
"It is our estimate he understood he could no longer serve in the role," said law enforcement officials.
Despite not receiving any remuneration for his years as Netanyahu's envoy, due to the position's nature police perceive Molho to be a public servant for all intents and purposes, and suspect him of breach of trust offenses.
