Giant purchase of dolphin submarines, Tisencrop Company's capture of Israeli executives, cancellation of auction with Hyundai and unveiling of 2016 case • All details - inside

• German submarine. In 2014, the first submarine arrived in Israel // Photo Archive: IDF Spokesman

Police on Thursday recommended that six people be prosecuted in the submarine case, also known as "Case 3000", which officially began with the investigation of the Lahav 433 unit in the Israel Police in February 2017. The case dealt with suspected conflicts of interest, bidding procurement and receiving bribes. For a huge deal to buy a Navy submarine from the AIP dolphin series and assault boats 6 from the German "Tisencrop" company.

As early as the 1990s, the Israeli Navy began a long strategic dolphin equipping strategy, but the first dolphin submarine only arrived in 2014. In 2016, naval strengthening continued with negotiations to buy three more submarines from Tisencrop.

This deal was strongly opposed by Defense Minister Moshe Bogey Ya'alon, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's support for the deal. The deal became even bigger, with the corps also required to be equipped with assault type 6 rockets to secure the gas drilling rigs.

This, despite the fact that in 2012, Brigadier General Omri Degul, through businessman Rami Unger, brought an offer to buy the ships from the Hyundai shipyard in South Korea. Government representatives approached Hyundai with a single supplier procedure, but because of the opposition of the head of procurement (Director) ) And under pressure from other bodies, other bodies were examined in South Korea.

David Shimron's intervention

At that point, according to state witness Mickey Ganor, the Navy serving as Tisencrop's representative, Prime Minister Attorney David Shamron's lawyer intervened in Ganor's request for naval activity to cancel the advance with South Korea.

Despite this, in July 2014, the Ministry of Defense issued an international tender for shipbuilding. Tysencrop did not manufacture ships of the type required and therefore refrained from participating in the tender. Attorney David Shimron, meanwhile, contacted the Ministry of Defense's attorney general. Prime Minister Shmuel Zucker said he was pressured by a representative of the National Security Council, who said that in the event that the tender was not canceled, relations between Netanyahu and Angela Merkel could be damaged, thereby causing political damage to Israel. .

According to Defense Minister Ya'alon at the time, the prime minister approached him demanding the cancellation of the tender. It was later learned that the German government was willing to subsidize the deal by 30%. As a result, according to head of procurement manager Shmuel Zucker, the demand in the tender has changed from 1,200 tons to 1,800 tons. He said he suspected the irregularities. In May 2015, the ship deal was signed with Tisencrop.

Adv. David Shimron in front of Lahav offices // Photo Archive: Gideon Markovich

Not where Shimron's activity ended. According to a letter from the chairman of the IDF Workers 'Association, on November 20, 2016, David Shimron and Mickey Ganor met with the workers' union and the Histadrut's chairman, Avi Nissenkorn. The purpose of the meeting was to pressure employees who would not interfere with the process of privatizing submarine maintenance. According to the letter, Shimron argued that the workers should negotiate with the German company and not wait for a decision to be made by the Ministry of Defense. The chairman of the workers' committee also claimed that Mickey Ganor, Tisencrop's representative, was in contact with senior Navy officials.

Another aspect that emerged in the affair is the connection between the Tisencrop Corporation and Iran. It is unclear whether the security establishment knew about these ties and whether they had an opening to leak sensitive information to Iranians.

Submarine sale to Egypt

At the same time as a sale to Israel, the Tissencrop Weapons Corporation intended to sell four advanced submarines and two anti-submarine ships to Egypt. The first submarines arrived in Egypt in October 2017. On July 18, 2017, Alex Fishman and Ribb Drucker revealed that in a May 2015 meeting between Angela Merkel and President Reuven Rivlin, Rivlin expressed concern about the Israeli security system's intention to sell advanced Tissencrop weapons to Egypt.

In response to the president's request, Merkel examined the matter, claiming that an official Israeli official had granted Germany permission to execute the deal with Egypt, without the security system or president's officials knowing it. According to Fishman, the Germans' claim was that Attorney Yitzhak Molcho signed Netanyahu's special envoy on various political issues, as well as attorney David Shimron's partner.

The connections between the main heroes of the episode

In early 2009, following the Likud victory in the elections, David Shamron was upgraded to become the personal prime minister's lawyer and also involved in world-wide political contacts with his partner, Netanyahu's envoy for important and mysterious missions, Adv. Yitzhak Molcho.

At the same time, Ganor supported the representation of the giant shipping corporation Tysencrop from Germany. In addition, Avriel Bar Yosef, who maintained good relations with Ganor from his time in the Navy, was appointed Deputy Chief of National Security (MLA). As part of the division of responsibilities in the MLA, Bar Yosef was also assigned to the Defense Procurement Division, and showed special interest In marine procurement transactions and later also on the gas issues discovered offshore and in their defense.

Avriel Bar Yosef exits investigation // Photo Archive: Yehuda Peretz

Few people knew at the time that he had a special interest in these matters, beyond his state role, an issue now at the heart of the police investigation. Later, Netanyahu decided to appoint Bar Yosef as head of the NSC. The decision was viewed as puzzling by many in the defense establishment. However, the appointment did not come to fruition. Controversial and Maritime Procurement. The letter was forwarded to the Attorney General, who ordered a police investigation leading Bar Joseph to waive the appointment.

Explosion of the affair

The main case was first revealed by journalist Raviv Drucker in November 2016. On February 27, 2017, State Attorney Shai Nitzan announced that it had been decided to undergo a full criminal investigation. Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, former Director General of the Ministry of Defense Dan Harel, Attorney General Ahaz Ben Ari, Knesset Member Aral Margalit, Former Minister of Finance Yair Lapid, Head of Ministry of Procurement Former Defense Minister Samuel Zucker and former Attorney General Michal Abadi-Boyanjo.

On July 10, 2017, police detained six people suspected of bribery, fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. Three of the interrogators, businessman Mickey Ganor, Brigadier General (res.) Avriel Bar Yosef (who was also suspected of receiving favor in the matter of the gas plot) and Attorney Ronen Shemer, were arrested. Attorney David Shamron was sent to house arrest.

The next day, former navy commander Eliezer (Eli) Marom "Cheney" was also detained for interrogation and also sent for house arrest. Merom received a regular monthly payment from Ganor for consulting services provided to Ganor's companies. On July 20, 2017, Mickey Ganor signed a state witness agreement in the affair. According to the agreement, Ganor will be sentenced to a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of NIS 10 million.

On September 3, 2017, police arrested six people, including former Prime Minister's Office Chief David Sharan, former Minister Eliezer Zandberg, former 13th Brigade Commander (Res.) Shay Brosh, and another detainee, Eli Marom. Former Speaker of the Brigade, Atalia Rosenbaum and associates of Yuval Steinitz Gershon (Geri) Hakim and Aviad Shay.

In November 2017, Shimron's partner, Attorney Yitzhak Malcho, Netanyahu's associate was investigated. On April 1, 2018, former Minister Yuval Steinitz testified and on June 12, 2018, Netanyahu also testified in the affair. Today, November 8, 2018, Police recommended to arrest Avriel Bar Yosef, Shai Brosh, Eli Merom, Eliezer Zandberg and David Sharan for bribery, fraud and money laundering and David Shamron for fraud and money laundering.

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