Interior Minister Arye Deri, after long refusing to cooperate with a police inquiry into alleged financial corruption, has finally announced he will answer questions by investigators.
Deri, Head of the Orthodox Sephardic Shas party, has been under investigation for the past three years both for alleged fraud committed under his supervision at the Interior Ministry and for suspected improprieties in his own personal finances.
Until now, Deri has maintained his right to remain silent.
Deri made the surprise announcement Sunday, following repeated requests by Attorney General Yosef Harish that the Cabinet minister break his silence over his alleged involvement in fraudulent activities.
Deri told Harish he was now ready to respond to any questions.
Police said the new move would prolong the investigation of the Deri case, as investigators would now have to question him on every detail in the long and complicated inquiry. Police estimated that the investigation would be extended by at least two months.
Political observers explained Deri’s change of heart as a response to growing public and political pressure that Deri, as a public figure, should not keep quiet in the face of serious allegations besmearing his reputation.
The Shas party is also weighing its continued partnership with the Labor and Meretz parties, after tensions caused by remarks made by Education Minister Shulamit Aloni of Meretz that many Orthodox Jews found offensive.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
