One of Israel's leading politicians, Ehud Barak, fell under the drain. Vlad Kovic - from Jerusalem

Dubious rumors from dubious sources could ruin one of the most brilliant biographies in modern Israeli history.

Ehud Olmert (left) and Ehud Barak walked side by side in politics for a long time
Photo: Dan Balilty, AP

Vlad Kovic, Jerusalem

There is a new corruption scandal in Israel. The government's legal adviser (here, this position roughly corresponds to the prosecutor general) ordered an investigation into statements by one former prime minister, Ehud Olmert, about another ex-prime minister, Ehud Barak, that he took multimillion-dollar bribes - kickbacks for arms deals.

Confusing Israelis with suspicions about their politicians is as futile as frightening a hedgehog with its bare rear. The former president is in prison, the former finance minister was recently released, the former interior minister was released a long time ago - this is not counting those who are smaller, and investigations against the rest, which are countless. The former prime minister is also going to prison as soon as the additional judicial investigation is completed, threatening him with a significant increase in his sentence.

The piquancy of the situation lies not only in the fact that this is Ehud Olmert and that he himself was convicted of bribes, but also in the fact that the ex-prime minister did not make any statements. He spoke about his suspicions in a private conversation with his most loyal close associate in the past, his long-term (for more than three decades) secretary Shula Zaken. Confidentially. And she recorded this conversation. And she presented the tape to the investigation, the prosecutors to the court, and the court imposed a ban on publication. And TV Channel 10 violated the ban and published the recording. There was a noise. And - these are the grimaces of democracy! — the government's legal adviser had to order a formal review (not yet an investigation). Not a violation of a court decision by the TV channel - but a “signal” about bribes.

A lot of things are revealed behind this episode - not only Israeli, not only legal, but simply instructive “about life”.

Shula Zaken was Olmert's right hand and confidant for almost all of her adult life, serving faithfully as a secretary and then head of the chancellery in all his many positions. She knew everything about her boss, and he trusted her like no one else. She didn’t forget herself either. As the boss rose, proximity to the body (not intimacy!) increased in price. The all-powerful secretary, in particular, contributed to the appointment of her protégé, who was later convicted of corruption, to the post of head of the Tax Administration. Among those who stimulated him with bribes in exchange for tax benefits was Shula’s brother, a successful businessman - with such and such a relationship!

When numerous criminal cases were initiated against Olmert (see Ogonyok No. 19 for 2014), the investigation perceived her as the most valuable witness. But she exercised the right to silence and did not open her mouth during all the months-long interrogations. In the end, she was thundered for her corruption sins, she faced a year and a half.

Meanwhile, largely thanks to the silence of the faithful Shula, Olmert’s cases were closed one after another due to insufficient evidence. There was only one thing left, there were forecasts that it too would burst.

Olmert squared his shoulders and began making political statements. He was preparing to return to politics. Shula felt offended: I’m going to jail for him, and he’s covered in chocolate again? The girl opened her mouth. She asked to become a state witness in order to have her sentence reduced. She admitted that she had been lying all these years and made a plea deal. She lost her sentence. She went to prison for 11 months. And Olmert got 6 years.

But the information provided by the repentant secretary allowed the prosecutor's office to bring closed cases back to life. The second circle of hell began for him.

Shula not only began to talk about things that she had previously been silent about or simply lied about. She, it turns out, recorded conversations with her adored boss (who, by the way, paid her lawyers - a lot of money) on tape. One of these cassettes has now surfaced and could sink not only Zaken's already convicted former patron.

Ehud Barak - retired lieutenant general (the highest rank in the Israeli army), former prime minister, in the army past, a famous Israeli special forces soldier (he has more military awards than other Israelis - five!), commander of the special forces of the General Staff, head of military intelligence AMAN, Chief of the General Staff - in the government of Olmert (and then Netanyahu) was Minister of Defense. It was about him.

“This madman will end up in prison, mark my words,” the not-yet-convicted Olmert confidentially shares with the then-unbending Shula. “He takes bribes. Tens of millions in bribes. There is not a single arms deal that Israel makes without... All about that's what they say."

Now, of course, that's it. These words, spoken in private to a trusted person (“I treated her like a daughter,” he once said about Shula, although she was only old enough to be his younger sister), the former prime minister, experienced politician and seasoned lawyer Olmert did not dare would be said publicly without evidence. But today they are on everyone's lips.

Kickbacks on arms deals are not unheard of all over the world, and Israel is certainly no exception. Is Barack involved in them? It is unlikely that even an audit officially announced by the government's legal adviser will establish the truth. But they will hang on the famous military man, retired general and politician forever.

It can be considered an accident that shortly before this bombshell there were persistent rumors about Ehud Barak’s return to politics. Now he will have to bury these plans. It is unknown how Shula Zaken’s new testimony will turn out for Olmert, but regarding Barak one result is already clear: he is out of politics. There are also problems with a good name.

More than one political career has been undermined by secretaries. Most often this happens due to sexual scandals. But it can be worse - without any pleasure.

In the rays of the rollback