NGO demands investigation of Education Minister Kisch over alleged cronyism
Kisch gave preferential treatment including prioritization of ministry funding, to certain cities with Likud mayors who could influence Kisch’s position in the next Likud primary election.
Top law enforcement officials were asked by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG) in a letter sent to them on Monday to open a criminal investigation into Education Minister Yoav Kisch (Likud) following a Sunday Ifat Glick KAN 11 report.
According to Glick’s report, Kisch gave preferential treatment, including prioritization of ministry funding, to certain cities with Likud mayors who could influence Kisch’s position in the next Likud primary election. These included cities such as Arad, Nof Hagalil, and Kiryat Gat.
Kisch denied the allegations in the report, calling them the “engineering of false consciousness.”
An ongoing police investigation into the matter
In the letter, which was addressed to the attorney-general, the state attorney, the police commissioner, and the head of the Israel Police Investigations and Intelligence Division, MQG lawyers Rotem Bavli Dvir and Eden Boyom compared the report to a similar one from last year regarding Transportation Minister Miri Regev (Likud).
In that case, following a report by Channel 13’s Raviv Drucker concerning Regev, the police have opened an ongoing investigation.
“Unfortunately, it seems as though this is a well-known practice among ministers from the Likud to allocate funds and resources to local authorities based on criteria of support and political proximity,” the two wrote.
They added, “It seems that this is a serious systematic practice of fostering improper relationships, whereby funds and resources are allocated to local authorities in exchange for personal political advancement, all in violation of the law and in a manner that constitutes serious offenses in the field of integrity, primarily bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.”