Upon request from Shinui leader Yousif Lapid, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday night that he will fire Infrastructure Minister Yosef Paritzky.
This request came after Israeli TV channel 1 published a report on Paritzky’s attempts to incriminate his party colleague Avraham Poraz during the party primary elections in 2002.
Political sources said Paritzky might resign ahead of Sunday’s cabinet meeting.
According to Channel 1 report, during Shinui’s primary two and a half years ago, Paritzky retained the services of a private investigator working for Israel Electric to search for evidence that would compromise Poraz.
Poraz, then took a stand against the free supply of electricity to workers from the country’s electric company.
Channel 1 news reporter Ayala Hasson on Wednesday night disclosed the existence of recorded conversations between Paritzky and the investigator.
The two discussed arranging the publication of a newspaper investigative report which would raise questions about Poraz’s activities with non-profit organizations and of using Poraz’s wife and son to hurt him.
In one conversation, Paritzky said ‘I want to get him quick, the elections are approaching. There is a war between us bitterer than that between Eli Yishai and Aryeh Deri,’
In a dramatic appearance on Channel 1’s Mabat News Magazine on Wednesday night, Paritzky offered an apology.
Poraz responded ‘I am truly sorry that a party colleague would act this way… Anyone who knows me will say that any attempt to besmirch me will fail.’
A crisis within his major governmental ally is the last that Sharon wants in such hard days, yet commentators believe that the case will not have political consequences and that Paritzky will fade away quietly.
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