Court ruling makes Sharon corruption charge less likely

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s son should not be charged with contempt of court for failing to provide police with documents in a corruption probe against his father, a court ruled today.

Experts said the ruling reduced the chances that the premier will be indicted, though a business associated has been charged with bribing him.

Israeli police went to court a year ago to compel Gilad Sharon to provide video tapes and documents related to a contract he signed with Israeli businessman David Appel to provide consulting services for a huge tourism project in Greece.

Israeli prosecutors believe that the €571,000 in fees paid to Sharon was meant as a bribe to his father to use his influence to promote the project.

Attorney General Meni Mazuz is expected to decide whether to file a bribery indictment against the elder Sharon in coming weeks. Israeli media reported in May that Mazuz will probably close the case.

In its decision, a court in the Tel Aviv suburb of Petah Tikvah ruled that Gilad Sharon had done everything possible to furnish documents and video tapes connected to the conditions of his employment with Appel.