Abu-hatzeira Found Guilty on Three Counts, Acquitted on Three Others

Aharon Abu-Hatzeira, the Minister of Labor, Welfare and Absorption, was found guilty in Tel Aviv district court today on three counts of larceny, fraud and breach of trust but was acquitted of three other criminal charges. His attomeys announced that he will appeal. A former aide, Moshe Gabai, was found guilty on the same counts.

Abu-Hatzeira, who heads the Tami faction, a member of Premier Menachem Begin’s coalition, faces a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment. Sentence will be pronounced at a later date. Judge Victoria Ostrovsky-Cohen, who rendered the verdict, was escorted to court by a heavy police guard and extra police were stationed throughout the building.

The verdict against the Moroccon-born minister sparked an uproar among his followers who saw it as an ethnic slur against the Sephardic community. Shouts of “Up the Sephardim,” “There is no justice in Israel” and “Long live Abu-Hatzeiro,” erupted from the visitors gallery.

BACKGROUND OF THE CHARGES

The charges against Abu-Hatzeira stemmed from his administration of a State-supported charitable fund established in the name of his late father, the former Chief Rabbi of Morocco Yitzhak Abu-Hatzeira, when he was Mayor of Ramle six years ago.

Judge Ostrovsky-Cohen excoriated Abu-Hatzeira and his co-defendant. Although they were found not guilty of charges of aggravated fraud and criminal conspiracy, this was mainly because of the statute of limitations and the fact that Interior Minister Yosef Burg had not come forward to give evidence, she said.

CONSEQUENCES FOR GOVERNMENT

The verdict against Abu-Hatzeira could have serious consequences for Begin’s narrowly-based government. Although a minister is not required by law to resign if found guilty of criminal offenses, his resignation can be requested by the Premier. Begin is not expected to act until the outcome of the appeal, but opposition members of the Knesset are demanding that Abu-Hatzeira resign forthwith.

Should he resign, the Tami faction is considered likely to quit Begin’s coalition, thereby eliminating its one-vote margin in the Knesset. Abu-Hatzeira formed Tami last year after defecting from the National Religious Party, another coalition partner, because the NRP wanted to replace him as Minister for Religious Affairs. He had held that portfolio during the first Begin administration. Abu-Hatzeira was tried last year and acquitted of charges of accepting bribes in the form of kickbacks from religious institutions which his ministry financed.