Justice Minister Moshe Nissim and Attorney General Yitzhak Zamir have recommended to Premier Menachem Begin that he exclude Religious Affairs Minister Aharon Abu-Hatzeira from attending Cabinet meetings pending the outcome of his trial on charges of embezzlement from a charitable institution he administered while Mayor of Ramle five years ago.
The trial is scheduled to begin immediately after the June 30 Knesset elections. Abu-Hatzeira was acquitted last month of charges of accepting bribes in connection with his ministerial duties and was invited by Begin to attend Cabinet sessions. It is not clear whether the Prime Minister will accept the Justice Minister’s recommendations. He reportedly had asked the Attorney General to reconsider the new charges against the Religious Affairs Minister.
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