Olmert interrogated by Israel's Nat'l Fraud Unit 5 hours, continuation on Thursday

Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said Monday that he opposes moves to postpone criminal investigations into the dealings of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert until the end of his term.

Mazuz's comments come on the same day as Olmert was questioned over suspicions that he acted to promote the interests of a businessman friend during the state's sale of Bank Leumi.

Several calls to postpone the criminal investigations against the prime minister were made over recent days by various public figures, including Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann.

Mazuz's office submitted a letter to the non-profit watchdog organization Omets on Monday saying "the attorney general opposes recent proposals made by various people seeking to prevent the prime minister from being investigated or postpone these investigations."

According to Mazuz's assistant, this view is strengthened by "the circumstances today, where the prime minister faces criminal investigations in two separate matters - the Bank Leumi affair and the sale of the house on Cremieux Street - and investigations into other matters are being decided upon." More...