Erschienen im Politico Newsletter:
THE WIRECARD HUNTER RETURNS: Fabio De Masi made his name as one of the key players in Germany’s Bundestag that helped hold Wirecard to account after the high-flying fintech company was revealed to be engaging in fraud on a massive scale. Now De Masi, who already served once as MEP in 2014, is back in Brussels. He’s sitting in the ECON committee and he thinks that there’s plenty more financial malfeasance to dig up.
Wieviel der neue Berliner Flughafen (BER) den Steuerzahler bis zur Eröffnung gekostet hat
7.079.900.000 Euro
(…)
≈ umgerechnet…
8.697.665 Kita-Plätze
(Nov. 26, 2010)
In the aforesaid period Netanyahu served as deputy to Moshe Arens, when he was Israel‘s ambassador to Washington, D.C. (1982-83 ).
(…)
The recently revealed documents deal with an operation dubbed „Tipped Kettle,“ involving weapons the Israel Defense Forces looted from the Palestine Liberation Organization during Operation Peace for Galilee in Lebanon, and their transfer to the Contras – opponents of the socialistic Sandinista regime in Nicaragua.
(…)
Part II was patently illegal – a blatant effort by the White House to violate a Congressional order and to cook up a strange deal involving the sale of American weapons (originally supplied to the IDF ) to anti-American Iran, for use in its war with Iraq; the release of Western hostages being held in Lebanon by Iranian-controlled Hezbollah; and the financing of Contras‘ activities thanks to the difference between the sum paid by the Iranians and the true value of the weapons – minus a profit for those engaged in the deal.
(…)
The CIA had direct intelligence connections with the Mossad, but in the affair of the captured weapons the American agency preferred to hide behind the Pentagon.
(07.02.2023)
In the early 1990s, the U.S. government sanctioned Bigio, his wife, son and others for their support of a military coup that ousted Haiti’s first democratically elected president. Years later, a member of a Haitian militia ‒ or private army ‒ accused Bigio and another businessman of paying for the 1993 assassination of a prominent democracy activist, according to Jeb Sprauge, author and University of California Riverside research associate. Authorities in Haiti did not charge Bigio with or accuse him of wrongdoing.
(16.12.2022)
For years, Haitians have said Bigio and other oligarchs are complicit in the violence strangling the nation: This year 1,448 people have been killed, with another 1,005 kidnapped for ransom. Until now, however, the international community has stayed mostly silent about Haiti’s corrupt elite. (…)
Daniel Foote, the former U.S envoy to Haiti who resigned in September 2021 to protest against the disastrous American policy, told me that he thinks Canada and the U.S. State Department are working together to economically punish Bigio and the others. But he suspects that the United States cannot follow Canada’s example by imposing stiff sanctions, possibly because Bigio may be a U.S. citizen and thus entitled to due process. In theory, however, U.S. prosecutors could bring cases against Bigio and other oligarchs for funding the vicious gangs whether these defendants have U.S. citizenship or not. As things stand, inaction is much more likely.
Ali had to pay $15,000, in what is referred to as a “travel coordination fee”, to a travel agency liaising with an Egyptian state-linked company to allow his family to leave Gaza via the Rafah border crossing in northeastern Egypt.
This is curently the only way for Palestinians who do not have another nationality to cross to Egypt.
The Gaza travel company acts as an intermediary between the Palestinians wishing to leave Gaza and an Egyptian company, Hala, which has a de facto monopoly over the exit of Palestinians via the Rafah crossing.
“In short, the longer he’s embroiled in war, the longer he can put off some kind of domestic political shift,” Zonszein said.
Netanyahu is playing up the challenges of holding elections during wartime and has made dramatic assertions like: “Hamas and Hezbollah want Israel to go to early elections, it would be a victory for them”.
However, the majority of Israelis still believe that Netanyahu’s wartime decision-making is primarily motivated by political interests, according to an opinion poll conducted by the Israeli Channel 13.
(01.03.2024)
2018 gehörte Wirecard zu den 30 wertvollsten deutschen Unternehmen, 125 Milliarden Euro an Geldtransaktionen fließen über den Dienstleister. Darunter sind auch Zahlungen deutscher Behörden, etwa Überweisungen an V-Leute. Sicherheitskreise äußern die Sorge, Wirecard-Finanzdaten könnten auch an ausländische Dienste geflossen sein. Ein riesiges Sicherheitsrisiko, das bislang nicht einmal ansatzweise behördlich aufgeklärt wurde.
An international charity with extensive experience in providing emergency aid in wars, famines and earthquakes throughout the Middle East and in Afghanistan is being forced to pay $5,000 a truck to a company linked to Egypt’s General Intelligence Service (GIS) to get aid into Gaza.
The charity, which does not want to be named to avoid obstruction to its relief efforts in Gaza, spoke to Middle East Eye in outrage at having to pay what it openly describes as a bribe to a state-linked agent.
Das beschämende Spektakel, dass die Bürger definitiv mehr und mehr von denjenigen entfernt, die behaupten, ihre Vertreter zu sein, hat schon seit Langem nichts mehr mit dem Gesetz und der Verfassung zu tun, sondern mit den persönlichen Begehrlichkeiten dieser Personen.
Das Argument von Anfang 2023, dass sie mit einem Terroranschlag konfrontiert seien, ist widerlegt worden. Jetzt besteht der Terrorismus-Vorwand nicht mehr, und wir haben eine politische Krise, die vielleicht sogar noch schlimmer ist als die von vor einem Jahr. Das Land ist weiterhin unregierbar, aber nicht wegen der Mobilisierung von denen „da unten”, sondern wegen der unersättlichen Gier von denen „da oben”.
Die Staatsanwaltschaft stellte jedoch keinen Haftbefehl gegen Marsalek aus, obwohl unmittelbare Flucht- und Verdunkelungsgefahr bestand, sondern ließ ihn am 19. Juni 2020 in Begleitung mindestens eines österreichischen Verfassungsschützers seelenruhig aus Deutschland herausspazieren. Sein Anwalt, der kürzlich dem Landgericht München einen angeblichen Brief von Jan Marsalek übermittelte, versicherte, Marsalek wolle das Geld nur auf den Philippinen „suchen“. Die Ermittlungen gegen den Fluchthelfer von Herrn Marsalek vom Verfassungsschutz wurden später eingestellt, da dieser ja nur „Reisehelfer“ gewesen sei. Schließlich habe zum Zeitpunkt der Flucht kein Haftbefehl gegen Marsalek vorgelegen. Ein Schelm, wer Böses dabei denkt.
Beyond material progress and architectural marvels that rival ancient wonders, a truly progressive state is marked by its commitment to accountability and justice – a domain where some established democracies have faltered.
After enduring a harrowing 85 days of bombardment resulting in nearly 22,000 killed, including more than 8,000 children and 6,000 women, 1.9 million displaced and the collapse of the health infrastructure, South Africa, a signatory of the Genocide Convention has finally called upon the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine the crisis.
This long-awaited step reflects a crucial recognition of the international community‘s role in conflict resolution and human rights protection.
Defense asked if pace can be slowed to 2ce a week & judges suggest upping to 4 x week.(No pics allowed in courtroom.)
An emergency order that Justice Minister Yariv Levin put in place for the courts when the war with Hamas began expired last week, and most courts have been ordered to resume normal operations.
Netanyahu is currently exempted from attending the hearings but may be called to testify in a few months.
(05.03.2023)
The trial and the coup are now simultaneously underway, but while the first is lumbering along, the second is galloping forward. The hearings in the Jerusalem District Court will resume only after Passover. Until the judges return from their hiatus, the wings of the High Court of Justice might be clipped, the Judicial Appointments Committee might be under full control of the politicians, or Israel might be in the throes of a historic constitutional crisis.
(14.02.2018)
The police announcement Tuesday – that the investigations into two cases involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been completed – came 13 months after Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit decided that a “preliminary examination” of the allegations, which itself took six months, should become full-fledged criminal investigations.
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today released a video and bank records memorandum revealing how Joe Biden received $40,000 in laundered China money from the account of his brother, James Biden, and his sister-in-law, Sara Biden, in the form of a personal check.
The money trail begins in July 2017 when Hunter Biden demanded payment from his Chinese Communist Party (CCP) linked associate. On July 30, 2017, Hunter Biden sent a message to Raymond Zhao—a CEFC associate—demanding a $10 million dollar capital payment and claimed his father, Joe Biden, was sitting in the room. CEFC is a Chinese energy company linked to the CCP. The Bidens began working with CEFC when Joe Biden was Vice President.
Donald Jr., an executive vice president at the Trump Organization and a co-defendant in the case, will be the first of Trump’s adult children to take the stand, followed by Eric and Ivanka Trump. Their father is set to testify on Monday.
(March 27, 2019)
Many U.S. lawmakers are concerned that sharing nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia could eventually lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. (…)
Last month, Democratic House members alleged in a report that top White House aides ignored warnings they could be breaking the law as they worked with former U.S. officials in a group called IP3 International to advance a multibillion-dollar plan to build nuclear reactors in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.
Plus on a personal level, it appears humiliating and degrading for anyone to be forced to „kneel“ and serve as Bibi‘s powerless slave ministers. Gantz wants to be PM, not spend what remains of his political career pouring Miss Piggy‘s pink champagne for her.
The snap election was called after President Guillermo Lasso – a conservative former banker – dissolved parliament to avoid impeachment.
Sunday‘s voting was peaceful, much to the relief of Ecuadoreans fearful of the political violence that has taken hold of the country.
Days after Villavicencio’s murder, a left-wing local party official, Pedro Briones, was shot dead in Esmeraldas province.
Gunfire interrupted Noboa’s caravan on Thursday as he was traveling in Guayas province, but authorities say the presidential candidate was not the target of the incident.
(March 27, 2019)
Many U.S. lawmakers are concerned that sharing nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia could eventually lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. (…)
Last month, Democratic House members alleged in a report that top White House aides ignored warnings they could be breaking the law as they worked with former U.S. officials in a group called IP3 International to advance a multibillion-dollar plan to build nuclear reactors in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.
(August 11, 2023)
During his tenure in the Trump administration, Kushner was tasked with managing Middle East policy, resulting in him building a relationship with Saudi Arabia‘s Crown Prince and leading efforts to create the Abraham Accords, which established Israel‘s diplomatic relations initially with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, and later with Morocco and Sudan.
(August 11, 2023)
“I’ve been vocal that I think that what Kushner did crossed the line of ethics,” Comer said on CNN when asked to respond to Christie’s claim. “What Christie said — it happened after he left office. Still no excuse, Jake, but it happened after he left office.
(20. April 1997)
Netanyahu told CNN‘s Walter Rodgers he was „glad that the truth came out,“ and said the entire incident was „blown out of proportion and twisted out of shape.“
„It‘s politics,“ he said in an interview shortly after the attorney general released his report. „Of course there were people out to get us. But this is going nowhere. It‘s done. It‘s finished.“
“There already are legislative initiatives meant to increase political involvement in appointing judges, as well as curtailing the Supreme Court’s authority, apparently for the purpose of preventing judicial review of government actions…all I can say is this: first, this is a crude threat, unseen heretofore by the judiciary, meant apparently to influence its rulings; second, these steps are a surefire recipe for critically damaging democracy and for perpetuating corruption.”
These pointed words were written in 2008 by Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levi, who was part of the panel hearing a petition against a decision by then-Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to grant a lenient plea bargain to former President Moshe Katsav.
With careful consideration, it is plausible to suggest that Milchan‘s decision may have been influenced by the judges‘ proposal to withdraw the bribery charge in Case 4000, which was presented just before his testimony. The witness perceived this case to overshadow his own involvement, often remarking that the magnitude of „hundreds of millions of dollars“ cannot be compared to indulgences in cigars and champagne. This positioning allowed Milchan to assume a supporting role in the unfolding narrative, but an unexpected turn of events thrust him into the spotlight. Being fluent in the language of power, it appears that Milchan recognized Netanyahu‘s resurgent influence and chose not to risk challenging him.
(27 March 2023)
In an interview recorded Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted his government’s planned judicial overhaul was necessary as the Supreme Court is “too powerful,” claiming the controversial attempts to neuter the court would result in a “stronger democracy.”
While the interview was expected to air Monday evening, it was released online hours earlier amid concerns it was fast becoming outdated as the country was roiled by mass protests and Netanyahu was expected to announce a freeze to the controversial overhaul.
Milchan had also introduced Mozes to Australian businessman James Packer, who „really liked each other.“ Netanyahu had also asked Milchan to look into laying the groundwork for news mogul Rupert Murdoch, who the prime minister felt had business and political interests aligned with the Netanyahu administration.
Under Case 2000, Netanyahu is accused of having engaged in fraud and breach of trust for meeting with Mozes about advancing legislation to cripple his news competitor in exchange for positive coverage.
He said he had instructed his aides to give the Netanyahus “whatever they want” and was assured by the prime minister that there was nothing illegal going on.
If there was a time to wake up, once again, with all our strength against the judicial coup – that time is now. This is not a drill; it‘s back with us. The protest leaders promised in the beginning that they „sleep with their boots on.“ Now it‘s time to put ours on.
For this saga to end now, one of two things has to happen: Either the prosecution has to withdraw the indictment, or Netanyahu has to admit to some of the charges and leave office immediately. But the prime minister is now breathing easy and praising the judges whom he previously suspected of being leftists. And Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who views the court’s position as a colossal mistake, is currently determined to go all the way, including to the Supreme Court.
The indictment accuses Netanyahu of using his influential perch to assist Milchan to secure a U.S. visa extension by drawing on his diplomatic contacts, among them former Secretary of State John Kerry. Prosecutors also accuse Netanyahu of working to push legislation that would have granted Milchan millions in tax breaks.
Mr. Milchan, 78, who produced blockbusters like “Pretty Woman,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” also worked for years for Israeli intelligence as a weapons procurer. His colorful life and relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has helped turned the Case 1000 trial into a showcase of the nexus of money, power and influence in Israel.
Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan, a key witness in one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption cases, is set to testify at the premier’s corruption trial via video link from Brighton, England, beginning on Sunday.
The film producer is a witness in Case 1000 — one of three in which Netanyahu faces charges — involving suspicions that the premier illicitly accepted gifts including cigars and champagne from Milchan and another billionaire, James Packer.
According to the report, during a routine hearing at the Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday, the judges engaged in a fifteen-minute discussion with the State Prosecutor‘s Office and Netanyahu‘s defense team and the other defendants, Shaul and Iris Elovich.
The judges reportedly emphasized that „the good of the state requires a settlement.“
(22.06.2023)
According to Walla and Channel 13, the judges convened with state prosecutors and Netanyahu’s defense team in their chambers in order to discuss the complexities involved in substantiating the bribery charge against the prime minister in Case 4000, the most significant of the three cases against Netanyahu that make up the trial.
Also known as the Bezeq-Walla case, it focuses on allegations that Netanyahu, during a previous tenure as prime minister, authorized regulatory decisions that financially benefited Bezeq telecommunications giant shareholder Shaul Elovitch by hundreds of millions of shekels.
(21.06.2023)
At the start of the hearing in Netanyahu’s ongoing trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, the three judges summoned both sides’ lawyers to their chamber for a private consultation. However, they declined to say what the discussion had been about.
(…)
He also said that then-editor in chief Avi Alkalay routinely altered articles in ways that benefited Netanyahu. “There were also articles that were shelved,” he added.
Asked by prosecutor Yael Shahaf how Alkalay explained his behavior, Borochov said Alkalay told him “that he coordinates things with the Prime Minister’s Office,” and that if “things didn’t go the way they should,” he would be replaced with an editor in chief chosen by Netanyahu
(20. April 1997)
Netanyahu told CNN‘s Walter Rodgers he was „glad that the truth came out,“ and said the entire incident was „blown out of proportion and twisted out of shape.“
„It‘s politics,“ he said in an interview shortly after the attorney general released his report. „Of course there were people out to get us. But this is going nowhere. It‘s done. It‘s finished.“
Some jurists say the judges in the Netanyahu cases are allowing the proceedings to drag on too long
(31.05.2023)
The process of government-media propaganda coordination is not limited to Canada, nor to Covid issues. #Kennedy24
(21.04.2023)
The regular CBC „experts“ bribed hundreds of thousands of dollars. Watch until the end. Rodney Palmer‘s testimony at the National Citizens Inquiry shows CBC planted a fake sign at the convoy and knowingly lied throughout the past 3.5 years at the cost of all good Canadians. The exposure of the CBC has finally come. Find out how CTV and other mainstream news channels also signed on to be part of a new fake news group with an actual name, so they would all tout the same lies at the same time in unison. Support the nationalcitizensinquiry.ca and consider donating to their extensive costs and/or share the inquiry dates WIDELY on all of your platforms.
(November 11, 2013)
France’s sabotage of a compromise agreement on Iran’s nuclear program is a textbook case of how the new Saudi-Israeli alliance can disrupt President Barack Obama’s strategy for resolving Middle East disputes through diplomacy, not war.
Over the summer, Saudi officials including intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan visited European capitals dangling financial deals and energy concessions to countries if they would line up behind Saudi and Israeli desires for military intervention in the Syrian civil war and heightened economic warfare against Iran.
The carrots were particularly appealing to the French who are struggling with a sluggish economy, high unemployment and a recent credit downgrade. So, the flash of Saudi petro-dollars got the attention of the French government.
(04.05.2023)
Er muss und er will Premierminister bleiben. Er könnte leicht einen Deal eingehen: Die Opposition will ihn vielleicht nicht im Gefängnis sehen, ihn aber als Premier weghaben. Netanjahu will beides: einen Deal und an der Macht bleiben. Das geht nicht.
(10.05.2023)
“ Such a thing has never happened in the history of the country … an external tycoon has taken control of the government. It’s an amazing thing!”
Mozes’ enormous success is what led Netanyahu to fire Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni and to advance the election. “I brought down the government,” he explained in the investigation, “in the knowledge that Mozes was already in control of the government.”
(9 May 2023)
He also confirmed that it had been Netanyahu or “someone else involved in legislation” who had asked him to meet with then-Knesset House Committee chairman MK Yariv Levin about legislation to limit the reach of Yedioth’s major rival, the right-wing freesheet Israel Hayom.
Harow was testifying in so-called Case 2000 against Netanyahu, in which the prime minister is accused of fraud and breach of trust over his alleged attempt to reach a quid pro quo agreement with Mozes whereby Yedioth would give the prime minister more positive media coverage in exchange for legislation weakening Israel Hayom.
(27.04.2023)
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s defense team to discuss a possible plea deal, Ynet learned on Thursday.
The meeting took place following the court‘s proposal to examine the possibility of mediation and after similar discussions were only held in the matter of Netanyahu‘s co-defendant communication mogul Shaul Elovitch who was charged with bribing the prime minister.