The most serious corruption case to rock Israel involving the head of the labor federation and mayors

The political and union circles in Israel were shaken this morning after the revelation of one of the biggest corruption cases in the history of the occupation entity, which included the arrest of dozens of senior officials in the “Histadrut” union and a number of mayors, including the head of the union, Arnon Bar David, and his wife, as part of a wide investigation led by the police’s special investigations unit Lahav 433.

According to the Israeli Channel 7, the investigations, described as the largest and most serious in years, have resulted in the dismantling of a corruption network involving about 350 people, including employees of government institutions, labor committees, municipal officials, and prominent businessmen suspected of involvement in offering huge financial bribes in exchange for government privileges and tenders.

The head of the police investigations department, Mini Benjamin, explained that the case was subject to a secret investigation that lasted for two full years, and revealed serious criminal issues related to a lack of transparency, receiving bribes and exploiting public office for personal gain.

For his part, Police Inspector General Danny Levy described the case as one of the biggest and most serious corruption cases that the Israeli police have ever dealt with, stressing that the investigations are ongoing and may include, in the coming days, the investigation of hundreds of employees in government institutions and public bodies.

The investigations indicate that an insurance businessman ran a systematic corruption network within the Histadrut, based on a give and take system, where he provided his services in exchange for appointments in local authorities and public companies, while senior Histadrut officials received financial and personal benefits from him.

It’s believed that he distributed jobs and appointed close aides as heads of committees in various fields, including local authorities, public and governmental companies.

The investigations also indicate that he was keen to appoint these individuals as members of the boards of directors of multiple companies, as part of what appears to be an intertwined system of influence aimed at promoting his personal interests and expanding his sphere of influence within state institutions.

Israeli police have revealed details of a two-year secret investigation into a corruption case linked to the Histadrut, which turned into a public investigation in a wave of surprise arrests involving senior officials and well-known figures.

During the operation, police conducted searches of 55 homes in different parts of the country, looking for evidence and documents to support suspicions of corruption and abuse of power.

Israeli Police detained employees of municipalities including Rishon LeZion, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Gat, Rosh HaAyin and Ashdod, as well as employees of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, the railway company and the Israeli El Al airline for questioning.

The suspects are scheduled to be brought before the Rishon LeZion Magistrate’s Court later today for a hearing on a request to extend their detention, while Lahav 433 continues its investigation into one of the most extensive corruption cases to rock Israeli institutions in recent years.

According to Israeli Yediot Aharonot newspaper, among those arrested was also the head of the workers’ committee in a major company, in addition to senior officials in local municipalities.

Investigations revealed suspicious relationships between businessmen and government officials, some of which extend to political circles, related to providing benefits in exchange for voting for specific parties.

This scandal is a major blow to the Histadrut, the largest trade union organization in Israel, which wields considerable influence in economic and political decision-making circles.

The issue is also expected to have political repercussions within the ruling coalition, given the accusations of illegal party funding.

Police are still imposing a partial blackout on the details of the case, while Channel 7 indicated that more prominent names may be revealed in the coming days, amid estimates that the amount of money involved in the case reaches hundreds of millions of shekels.