Sharon: My hands are clean

2004-04-02 10:00

Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared in remarks published on Friday that he believes he will not be prosecuted in a looming bribery case and is innocent of any wrongdoing.

"My hands are clean. I believe in my full and complete innocence and believe there won't be an indictment," Sharon said in an interview with the Israeli daily Haaretz.

Earlier in the week, State Attorney Edna Arbel sent a letter to Attorney General Meni Mazuz, recommending that Sharon be indicted.

Mazuz has the final say in the matter.

Police have been investigating Sharon on suspicion he accepted $690 000 in bribes from Israeli businessman David Appel to help promote a tourism project in Greece and rezone urban land in Tel Aviv. Sharon allegedly received bribes as foreign minister in 1999, and after he was elected prime minister.

Projects failed

Appel was indicted in January for allegedly bribing Sharon; however, investigators still have to prove that Sharon knew he was being bribed. Sharon's son, Gilad, allegedly was paid large sums of money so that his father would use his influence to push the project forward. The Greek project failed, as did the one near Tel Aviv.

Mazuz is expected to make a ruling about an indictment within a month. Arbel's opinion carries considerable weight and puts pressure on Mazuz -appointed by the government a few months ago - to concur.

Sharon said that he has "full faith" in Mazuz, Haaretz reported.

Under Israeli legal precedent, a Cabinet minister who is indicted must step aside, but Sharon advisers say that doesn't apply to prime ministers - promising a court fight over the issue if an indictment is handed down.

- SAPA