4 dec 2017
Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon is suspected of using public funds and donations to pay millions of shekels in 'salaries' to dozens of Likud activists and their families in return for supporting him in the party's primaries; Danon's office: 'He always acted in accordance with rules and regulations.'
State Attorney Shai Nitzan instructed the Israel Police on Monday to examine the corruption allegations made against Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.
According to an investigative report by the Israel Television News Company, Danon used public funds and donations to create a mechanism of paying millions of shekels in "salaries" to dozens of Likud activists and their families in return for supporting him in the party's primaries.
Danon, who serves as the World Likud chairman, allegedly used his power in the organization to take hold of a non-profit organization called Making Zionism ("Osim Tzionut") and placed his confidant Yaakov Hagoel at its helm.
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) allegedly funneled vast sums into Making Zionism, especially during 2014, the year primaries in the Likud were held.
The Making Zionism non-profit launched a project dubbed "Cluster Coordinators" to spread the values of Zionism the world over, with each coordinator paid several thousand shekels.
The organization has also been planning conferences for Danon using its own funds, the report said. In one example, it organized an event which was attended mostly by Likud activists, and in which Danon gave the keynote address.
Other examples included an event two years ago reenacting the November 29 UN vote on Israeli independence, with Danon and Hagoel onstage. A year later, when Danon was already UN ambassador, he spoke at the organization's anti-BDS conference.
Both Danon and the Making Zionism organization denied the allegations.
A statement on behalf of Danon on Monday said that "All of Ambassador Danon's actions in his public roles have always been in accordance with all rules and regulation, and obviously this examination will confirm that as well. At the same time, we're hoping a similar examination will be done in other departments of the World Zionist Organization and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), which are headed by political representatives from other parties, such as Meretz, Zionist Union and others."
State Attorney Shai Nitzan instructed the Israel Police on Monday to examine the corruption allegations made against Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.
According to an investigative report by the Israel Television News Company, Danon used public funds and donations to create a mechanism of paying millions of shekels in "salaries" to dozens of Likud activists and their families in return for supporting him in the party's primaries.
Danon, who serves as the World Likud chairman, allegedly used his power in the organization to take hold of a non-profit organization called Making Zionism ("Osim Tzionut") and placed his confidant Yaakov Hagoel at its helm.
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) allegedly funneled vast sums into Making Zionism, especially during 2014, the year primaries in the Likud were held.
The Making Zionism non-profit launched a project dubbed "Cluster Coordinators" to spread the values of Zionism the world over, with each coordinator paid several thousand shekels.
The organization has also been planning conferences for Danon using its own funds, the report said. In one example, it organized an event which was attended mostly by Likud activists, and in which Danon gave the keynote address.
Other examples included an event two years ago reenacting the November 29 UN vote on Israeli independence, with Danon and Hagoel onstage. A year later, when Danon was already UN ambassador, he spoke at the organization's anti-BDS conference.
Both Danon and the Making Zionism organization denied the allegations.
A statement on behalf of Danon on Monday said that "All of Ambassador Danon's actions in his public roles have always been in accordance with all rules and regulation, and obviously this examination will confirm that as well. At the same time, we're hoping a similar examination will be done in other departments of the World Zionist Organization and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), which are headed by political representatives from other parties, such as Meretz, Zionist Union and others."
Dov Zur (R) with MK David Bitan
Dov Zur revealed as the senior official detained in the developing corruption scandal over tender fixing involving 16 others in the municipality, a senior member of a crime family and MK David Bitan, who was allegedly indebted to him.
Rishon LeZion Mayor Dov Zur is the senior official in the city's municipality who was among the 17 people detained for questioning Sunday in the large-scale corruption scandal, also involving coalition chairman MK David Bitan (Likud), it was cleared for publication Monday. Bitan served in the past as Zur's deputy.
The police claim that Zur exploited his position as mayor to promote the interests of others in return for favors.
Among other things, Zur, police say, worked behind the scenes to fix a tender for the Lago Events Hall in western Rishon LeZion for an entrepreneur who is a close associate of his, allowing him to win it at a low cost even though he was forced to recuse himself from the tender meeting for a conflict of interest.
Judge Amit Michaels noted that "in many parts of his interrogation, his answers are inconsistent with the investigation material in this case to say the least," and added that the court "cannot ignore the fact that there is a suspicion that the suspect has committed acts intended to conceal his actions, including acts related to the investigation."
The judge also noted that Zur is also suspected of obstructing the investigation, explaining that even though he is a city mayor with no criminal record, his remand should still be extended.
"The picture that has been painted in recent months is bleak and worrisome," he summarized.
Two of Zur's current deputies, Yossi Hamami and Eyal Moshayov, are also among those detained in the affair. Both are suspected of fraud and breach of trust, while Moshayov is also suspected of bribery. The court extended their remands until Thursday.
Another suspect in the affair was named as Shefi Sasson, a Likud activist who is considered to be close to Bitan, and like him is also suspected of bribery.
Sasson—a renowned businessman who owns several gas stations and real estate properties in Rishon LeZion—is considered a central activist in the Likud branch in the city and also a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
All suspects have denied the accusations against them.
Bitan not considering resignation
Dov Zur revealed as the senior official detained in the developing corruption scandal over tender fixing involving 16 others in the municipality, a senior member of a crime family and MK David Bitan, who was allegedly indebted to him.
Rishon LeZion Mayor Dov Zur is the senior official in the city's municipality who was among the 17 people detained for questioning Sunday in the large-scale corruption scandal, also involving coalition chairman MK David Bitan (Likud), it was cleared for publication Monday. Bitan served in the past as Zur's deputy.
The police claim that Zur exploited his position as mayor to promote the interests of others in return for favors.
Among other things, Zur, police say, worked behind the scenes to fix a tender for the Lago Events Hall in western Rishon LeZion for an entrepreneur who is a close associate of his, allowing him to win it at a low cost even though he was forced to recuse himself from the tender meeting for a conflict of interest.
Judge Amit Michaels noted that "in many parts of his interrogation, his answers are inconsistent with the investigation material in this case to say the least," and added that the court "cannot ignore the fact that there is a suspicion that the suspect has committed acts intended to conceal his actions, including acts related to the investigation."
The judge also noted that Zur is also suspected of obstructing the investigation, explaining that even though he is a city mayor with no criminal record, his remand should still be extended.
"The picture that has been painted in recent months is bleak and worrisome," he summarized.
Two of Zur's current deputies, Yossi Hamami and Eyal Moshayov, are also among those detained in the affair. Both are suspected of fraud and breach of trust, while Moshayov is also suspected of bribery. The court extended their remands until Thursday.
Another suspect in the affair was named as Shefi Sasson, a Likud activist who is considered to be close to Bitan, and like him is also suspected of bribery.
Sasson—a renowned businessman who owns several gas stations and real estate properties in Rishon LeZion—is considered a central activist in the Likud branch in the city and also a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
All suspects have denied the accusations against them.
Bitan not considering resignation
Shefi Sasson (R) with PM Netanyahu
Bitan, meanwhile, oozed confidence and optimism after a 14-hour interrogation by the police, saying, "I trust the law enforcement system, I do not intend to talk about the investigation or attack the police," Bitan said. "I'm also not considering resigning from the Knesset."
It was cleared for publication on Monday that Hossam Jarushi, a senior member of the Jarushi crime organization, is the person who allegedly helped ameliorate for Bitan from the series of debts he had accrued while serving as the chairman of the Rishon LeZion soccer team.
Bitan is suspected of fixing municipality construction tenders and other illegal activities for Jarushi in return for his aid.
According to Channel Ten News, Bitan has denied all allegations against him. "I've never accepted bribes or laundered money," he reportedly told police.
Bitan denied knowing the Jarushi family, and claimed: "I've transferred money from one account to another. There is no problem with that. I did not cash checks and transfer the money to a secret account."
According to the Israel Television News Company, police are also investigating the allegation that one of Bitan's parliamentary aides, who was promoted and appointed his spokeswoman, is the daughter of a businessman suspected of bribing Bitan.
He is scheduled to be questioned for the second time on Wednesday.
'Tremendous damage to city coffers'
Bitan, meanwhile, oozed confidence and optimism after a 14-hour interrogation by the police, saying, "I trust the law enforcement system, I do not intend to talk about the investigation or attack the police," Bitan said. "I'm also not considering resigning from the Knesset."
It was cleared for publication on Monday that Hossam Jarushi, a senior member of the Jarushi crime organization, is the person who allegedly helped ameliorate for Bitan from the series of debts he had accrued while serving as the chairman of the Rishon LeZion soccer team.
Bitan is suspected of fixing municipality construction tenders and other illegal activities for Jarushi in return for his aid.
According to Channel Ten News, Bitan has denied all allegations against him. "I've never accepted bribes or laundered money," he reportedly told police.
Bitan denied knowing the Jarushi family, and claimed: "I've transferred money from one account to another. There is no problem with that. I did not cash checks and transfer the money to a secret account."
According to the Israel Television News Company, police are also investigating the allegation that one of Bitan's parliamentary aides, who was promoted and appointed his spokeswoman, is the daughter of a businessman suspected of bribing Bitan.
He is scheduled to be questioned for the second time on Wednesday.
'Tremendous damage to city coffers'
Hossam Jarushi
In an interview with Army Radio, former Rishon LeZion Mayor Meir Nitzan panned both his former deputy Bitan and successor Zur for their conduct.
Nitzan said he knew Bitan owed money to loan sharks in the so-called grey market, saying he was even "absent from the municipality for three weeks" to take care of his debts.
When asked whether he thought Bitan was trustworthy, Nitzan replied: "No way. Once a person goes in debt in the grey market, he no longer has any integrity as far as I'm concerned."
Nitzan went on to clarify his stance on Zur and the allegations against him.
"I never spoke privately to a contractor," he claimed. "Always when there was a meeting it took place in my office with the city engineer, with a legal adviser and an assistant who summarizes the discussion in a written summary. That way, no one dared to offer me a bribe."
Nitzan says he knows "for sure" that his successor "did not use the same method," adding Zur met with contractors, sometimes together with Bitan, by himself.
"One can only imagine what transpired there, but that should be left to the public," he said. "These are just things that should not be done, that's all I can say."
According to Nitzan, "tremendous financial damage was done to the public coffers in Rishon LeZion, and the one responsible is the person in charge, the mayor." He estimated the damage "in the hundreds of millions of shekels."
"I left in the municipality's coffers a budget surplus of NIS 860 million to renovate 13,200 housing units that could very well collapse in the next earthquake," he said. "I left the money to Zur and explained why. That money is now gone, and I do not understand where it went."
Assaf Da'abol, chairman of the opposition in the Rishon LeZion municipality, who has been a member of the city council for the past 19 years, backed Nitzan's assertions, noting that while he doesn't know if any money was taken by Bitan and Zur for personal use in illegal deals, there is "one thing I do know—that from the public coffers of Rishon LeZion, the city's residents lost close to NIS 300-400 million from all these deals."
However, in Da'abol's opinion, "Bitan is not a hedonist, this is not his behavior, nor does he take money into his own pocket," suggesting he may have done something foolish "and got into trouble."
Bitan's debts, involvement with loan sharks
In an interview with Army Radio, former Rishon LeZion Mayor Meir Nitzan panned both his former deputy Bitan and successor Zur for their conduct.
Nitzan said he knew Bitan owed money to loan sharks in the so-called grey market, saying he was even "absent from the municipality for three weeks" to take care of his debts.
When asked whether he thought Bitan was trustworthy, Nitzan replied: "No way. Once a person goes in debt in the grey market, he no longer has any integrity as far as I'm concerned."
Nitzan went on to clarify his stance on Zur and the allegations against him.
"I never spoke privately to a contractor," he claimed. "Always when there was a meeting it took place in my office with the city engineer, with a legal adviser and an assistant who summarizes the discussion in a written summary. That way, no one dared to offer me a bribe."
Nitzan says he knows "for sure" that his successor "did not use the same method," adding Zur met with contractors, sometimes together with Bitan, by himself.
"One can only imagine what transpired there, but that should be left to the public," he said. "These are just things that should not be done, that's all I can say."
According to Nitzan, "tremendous financial damage was done to the public coffers in Rishon LeZion, and the one responsible is the person in charge, the mayor." He estimated the damage "in the hundreds of millions of shekels."
"I left in the municipality's coffers a budget surplus of NIS 860 million to renovate 13,200 housing units that could very well collapse in the next earthquake," he said. "I left the money to Zur and explained why. That money is now gone, and I do not understand where it went."
Assaf Da'abol, chairman of the opposition in the Rishon LeZion municipality, who has been a member of the city council for the past 19 years, backed Nitzan's assertions, noting that while he doesn't know if any money was taken by Bitan and Zur for personal use in illegal deals, there is "one thing I do know—that from the public coffers of Rishon LeZion, the city's residents lost close to NIS 300-400 million from all these deals."
However, in Da'abol's opinion, "Bitan is not a hedonist, this is not his behavior, nor does he take money into his own pocket," suggesting he may have done something foolish "and got into trouble."
Bitan's debts, involvement with loan sharks
Nitzan (L) and Bitan
In October, reports emerged that police were examining the manner in which Bitan paid off personal debts. As part of the inquiries conducted by the police's Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit into different matters relating to the Rishon LeZion municipality, testimonies were provided shedding light on how Bitan allegedly paid his debts.
Bitan was said to have accumulated debts during his time as chairman of Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion F.C., allegedly getting into hot water with loan sharks after borrowing money from them on behalf of his club. Checks provided by parents of children who played for the club's youth teams were later cashed with the same loan sharks.
Bitan's debts were estimated to have reached millions of shekels, while the coalition chairman himself claimed he only owed NIS 600,000, and insisted he paid them off himself and with the help of his family.
"I'm fine with (police) looking into things and investigating whatever they want. It's recycled materials. There was an inquiry in 2010, I was asked questions and answered everything. There's no new information. The person feeding police information is someone I am not familiar with," Bitan said then.
In October, reports emerged that police were examining the manner in which Bitan paid off personal debts. As part of the inquiries conducted by the police's Lahav 433 anti-fraud unit into different matters relating to the Rishon LeZion municipality, testimonies were provided shedding light on how Bitan allegedly paid his debts.
Bitan was said to have accumulated debts during his time as chairman of Hapoel Ironi Rishon LeZion F.C., allegedly getting into hot water with loan sharks after borrowing money from them on behalf of his club. Checks provided by parents of children who played for the club's youth teams were later cashed with the same loan sharks.
Bitan's debts were estimated to have reached millions of shekels, while the coalition chairman himself claimed he only owed NIS 600,000, and insisted he paid them off himself and with the help of his family.
"I'm fine with (police) looking into things and investigating whatever they want. It's recycled materials. There was an inquiry in 2010, I was asked questions and answered everything. There's no new information. The person feeding police information is someone I am not familiar with," Bitan said then.
3 dec 2017
Citing insufficient evidence to corroborate sexual harassment allegations, attorney general decides to drop investigation against MK Nissan Slomiansky.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced Sunday evening his decision to wrap up an investigation against Bayit Yehudi MK Nissan Slomiansky, who was suspected of sexual harassment.
Mandelblit's decision comes on the heels of a recommendation submitted by the state attorney that there was insufficient evidence to corroborate the allegations.
The investigation into Slomiansky began when several posts were made on social media last year about an MK who sexually harassed several women. These posts were made by friends of the women who were allegedly harassed by Slomiansky.
The accusations gathered further momentum when Hagit Moriah-Gibor urged more women on Facebook to come forward and report any incidents in which the MK sexually assaulted them.
Shortly thereafter, Slomiansky made clear his intention not to step down from his post.
After collecting testimonies from women who accused the MK of sexually inappropriate behavior, the Israel Police's Lahav 433 investigation unit recommended to the attorney general to summon Slomiansky for questioning under caution.
When the allegations were first made public, Slomiansky claimed he never sexually harassed anyone and postulated his accusers may have misinterpreted his warm and affectionate behavior.
A statement was issued on his behalf claimed, "MK Nissan Slomiansky has never harassed women. After a meeting with several rabbis, he understood that his warm and affectionate behavior, which is the same toward everyone, is sometimes interpreted in a different way, and for that he is sorry. MK Slomiansky has been serving the public for 40 years, including time in the Knesset, and he will continue to do so."
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced Sunday evening his decision to wrap up an investigation against Bayit Yehudi MK Nissan Slomiansky, who was suspected of sexual harassment.
Mandelblit's decision comes on the heels of a recommendation submitted by the state attorney that there was insufficient evidence to corroborate the allegations.
The investigation into Slomiansky began when several posts were made on social media last year about an MK who sexually harassed several women. These posts were made by friends of the women who were allegedly harassed by Slomiansky.
The accusations gathered further momentum when Hagit Moriah-Gibor urged more women on Facebook to come forward and report any incidents in which the MK sexually assaulted them.
Shortly thereafter, Slomiansky made clear his intention not to step down from his post.
After collecting testimonies from women who accused the MK of sexually inappropriate behavior, the Israel Police's Lahav 433 investigation unit recommended to the attorney general to summon Slomiansky for questioning under caution.
When the allegations were first made public, Slomiansky claimed he never sexually harassed anyone and postulated his accusers may have misinterpreted his warm and affectionate behavior.
A statement was issued on his behalf claimed, "MK Nissan Slomiansky has never harassed women. After a meeting with several rabbis, he understood that his warm and affectionate behavior, which is the same toward everyone, is sometimes interpreted in a different way, and for that he is sorry. MK Slomiansky has been serving the public for 40 years, including time in the Knesset, and he will continue to do so."
1 dec 2017
After resorting to shooting one of the Palestinians assailing him and a group of children he was escorting on a West Bank trip, a settler is questioned by police and released before being told he is under investigation for causing death by negligence.
The settler who shot 47-year-old Palestinian Mahmoud Za’al Odeh in Thursday's incident near the village of Qusra has been questioned by police, and is suspected of causing death by negligence.
"Dozens of Palestinians threw stones and rocks at us, we were in a life-threatening situation, and we were trying to protect the children," said the man, whose son was among the group.
"I had to shoot in self-defense. I hope common sense prevails, and people understand what happened here," the father added.
Two of the adults in the group were lightly wounded in the clashes and the children were spirited away from the danger zone under IDF supervision.
According to one of the two fathers who accompanied the children on the trip, the group of children from different communities in the Samaria region was on a bar mitzvah trip.
"We were hiking in an open area, near the road. Some 200 meters from Highway 5 and the Alon road, we were attacked by dozens of Arabs with stones, rocks and clubs. We were busy protecting the children, and I got hit in the head with a stone. The second father was also wounded. Thank God, the children are safe and sound, that's what's important."
The second father who accompanied the trip said he took the children into a nearby cave to protect them from the barrage of stones.
The children, he said, "were determined and brave, but some of them were frightened."
"I was busy protecting them, when at some point the Palestinians came really close, outflanked us and really boxed us in. The second father left his gun with me. I tried to keep them away by shooting into the air, and it didn't help, they kept coming closer."
He noted there were two Palestinians who tried to protect him and the children, but "30 others just tried to lynch (us)."
One of the parents accompanying the children had his gun stolen by one of the Palestinian rioters, but was later recovered by the IDF.
One of the children who came under attack told Ynet the Palestinians "started threatening us with a gun, throwing stones at us, told us 'give us your bags, give us your phones.' They swore at us, slapped us, punched us. I got a stone to my knee, my rabbi got a stone to his head, my friends got slapped and punched. They (the Palestinians) also tried to use tear gas."
"There were also Arabs who chased away the Arabs who wanted to throw stones at us, protected us for a little until the army came and found us," the child added.
Keren Perlman, the mother of one of the children, said her son told her the Palestinians "sprayed pepper spray into the cave" the children were hiding in. "They took their bags, equipment and candy," she added.
"He also told me many children made vows, about the feeling of imminent death, about (children) saying the 'Shema Yisrael' prayer, and about heart-rending crying," Perlman added.
She criticized the IDF for taking too long to arrive to the children's aid. "It took the army an hour and a half. An hour and a half in which the children hid in a crumbling cave with hundreds of Arabs above them. An hour and a half of the heroic parents standing at the entrance, enduring beatings and stones to protect the children, and the army just didn't bother showing up," she lamented.
The settler who shot 47-year-old Palestinian Mahmoud Za’al Odeh in Thursday's incident near the village of Qusra has been questioned by police, and is suspected of causing death by negligence.
"Dozens of Palestinians threw stones and rocks at us, we were in a life-threatening situation, and we were trying to protect the children," said the man, whose son was among the group.
"I had to shoot in self-defense. I hope common sense prevails, and people understand what happened here," the father added.
Two of the adults in the group were lightly wounded in the clashes and the children were spirited away from the danger zone under IDF supervision.
According to one of the two fathers who accompanied the children on the trip, the group of children from different communities in the Samaria region was on a bar mitzvah trip.
"We were hiking in an open area, near the road. Some 200 meters from Highway 5 and the Alon road, we were attacked by dozens of Arabs with stones, rocks and clubs. We were busy protecting the children, and I got hit in the head with a stone. The second father was also wounded. Thank God, the children are safe and sound, that's what's important."
The second father who accompanied the trip said he took the children into a nearby cave to protect them from the barrage of stones.
The children, he said, "were determined and brave, but some of them were frightened."
"I was busy protecting them, when at some point the Palestinians came really close, outflanked us and really boxed us in. The second father left his gun with me. I tried to keep them away by shooting into the air, and it didn't help, they kept coming closer."
He noted there were two Palestinians who tried to protect him and the children, but "30 others just tried to lynch (us)."
One of the parents accompanying the children had his gun stolen by one of the Palestinian rioters, but was later recovered by the IDF.
One of the children who came under attack told Ynet the Palestinians "started threatening us with a gun, throwing stones at us, told us 'give us your bags, give us your phones.' They swore at us, slapped us, punched us. I got a stone to my knee, my rabbi got a stone to his head, my friends got slapped and punched. They (the Palestinians) also tried to use tear gas."
"There were also Arabs who chased away the Arabs who wanted to throw stones at us, protected us for a little until the army came and found us," the child added.
Keren Perlman, the mother of one of the children, said her son told her the Palestinians "sprayed pepper spray into the cave" the children were hiding in. "They took their bags, equipment and candy," she added.
"He also told me many children made vows, about the feeling of imminent death, about (children) saying the 'Shema Yisrael' prayer, and about heart-rending crying," Perlman added.
She criticized the IDF for taking too long to arrive to the children's aid. "It took the army an hour and a half. An hour and a half in which the children hid in a crumbling cave with hundreds of Arabs above them. An hour and a half of the heroic parents standing at the entrance, enduring beatings and stones to protect the children, and the army just didn't bother showing up," she lamented.
30 nov 2017
Huri and Jamaa
Store owner denies being responsible for deadly blaze that led to explosion and collapse of building, leaving three people dead; 'We don’t know exactly what happened, but something doesn’t add up,' says police source.
The Israel Police arrested Thursday on suspicion of arson the owner of the Jaffa paint store that exploded on Tuesday, causing the building to collapse and claiming the lives of three people.
The store owner denies all accusations made against him.
"It is unfortunate that he is being accused of a crime he did not commit. I am confident that his name will be cleared in court," said his lawyer, Walid Kabub.
The victims of the explosion were identified as Ali Abu Jamaa, 22, of Tayibe, Rimon Huri, 20, of Jaffa, and Mohammad Yassin of Tulkarem.
Jamaa and Huri, who worked in a restaurant in the city, were found dead in their beds behind the store, which collapsed from the explosion's impact.
Soon enough, questions arose regarding the circumstances of the explosion. "We don’t know exactly what happened, but something doesn’t add up," said a police source involved in the investigation. "Suspicious substances were found at the site, and maybe they caused the explosion. They were sent to the lab. They are not necessarily combustible materials from the shop, and that’s why we are looking into it. It can seem like a deliberate act."
The initial assessment was that a gas leak caused the explosion. Since then, however, additional possibilities arose and were being looked into, including the possibility that a dispute led to arson being committed.
The shop was located among residential buildings in the Ajami neighborhood of Jaffa. Due to the presence of highly flammable gas canisters, nearby residents were evacuated.
It took six fire squads to put out the flames including "Lahava," the elite firefighting unit that responds to special situations.
Rescue units of the Home Front Command, who are currently training at the ruins of the former Bezeq building in Tel Aviv, were also on hand.
Store owner denies being responsible for deadly blaze that led to explosion and collapse of building, leaving three people dead; 'We don’t know exactly what happened, but something doesn’t add up,' says police source.
The Israel Police arrested Thursday on suspicion of arson the owner of the Jaffa paint store that exploded on Tuesday, causing the building to collapse and claiming the lives of three people.
The store owner denies all accusations made against him.
"It is unfortunate that he is being accused of a crime he did not commit. I am confident that his name will be cleared in court," said his lawyer, Walid Kabub.
The victims of the explosion were identified as Ali Abu Jamaa, 22, of Tayibe, Rimon Huri, 20, of Jaffa, and Mohammad Yassin of Tulkarem.
Jamaa and Huri, who worked in a restaurant in the city, were found dead in their beds behind the store, which collapsed from the explosion's impact.
Soon enough, questions arose regarding the circumstances of the explosion. "We don’t know exactly what happened, but something doesn’t add up," said a police source involved in the investigation. "Suspicious substances were found at the site, and maybe they caused the explosion. They were sent to the lab. They are not necessarily combustible materials from the shop, and that’s why we are looking into it. It can seem like a deliberate act."
The initial assessment was that a gas leak caused the explosion. Since then, however, additional possibilities arose and were being looked into, including the possibility that a dispute led to arson being committed.
The shop was located among residential buildings in the Ajami neighborhood of Jaffa. Due to the presence of highly flammable gas canisters, nearby residents were evacuated.
It took six fire squads to put out the flames including "Lahava," the elite firefighting unit that responds to special situations.
Rescue units of the Home Front Command, who are currently training at the ruins of the former Bezeq building in Tel Aviv, were also on hand.
