Sharon may avoid bribery charges - reports

Israel's attorney general is leaning towards dropping a bribery case against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a scandal that has threatened to topple him, Israeli newspapers reported yesterday.

But Justice Minister Yosef Lapid said Attorney General Menachem Mazuz had not yet reached a decision on whether to indict Mr Sharon, who has denied any wrongdoing. Political analysts say an indictment would probably force Mr Sharon to resign.

Several financial scandals that could jeopardise Mr Sharon's political future have been impediments as he lobbies hardline ministers to back an amended version of his Gaza pullout plan, rejected in a May 2 vote by his own rightist Likud party.

Mr Sharon intends to put the revised plan to a cabinet vote on Sunday.

The dailies Haaretz and Maariv cited sources close to the investigation as saying that Dr Mazuz was tilting toward closing the so-called "Greek Island" bribery case without filing criminal charges against Mr Sharon.

But Haaretz quoted sources as saying Dr Mazuz was not yet close to a final decision, which is expected by mid-June, and Israel Radio quoted Justice Ministry sources as saying all options remained open.

The Jerusalem Post said senior police investigators and a committee of legal experts appointed by Dr Mazuz to study the case believed there was too little evidence to press charges against Mr Sharon.

"The concluding meeting of the team Dr Mazuz put together will be held only on Thursday," Dr Lapid told reporters in response to the news reports.

"The time has not come to announce a decision one way or another. After this meeting, he will take two weeks to weigh all the information and write his opinion," he added.

The case centres on payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars that an Israeli land developer and Likud stalwart was alleged to have made to Mr Sharon's son Gilad, whom he hired in the late 1990s as an adviser on a never-completed project to build a resort in Greece.

The real estate developer, David Appel, was indicted in January on charges of trying to bribe Mr Sharon. Israel's chief prosecutor has officially recommended indicting Mr Sharon.

Mr Sharon also faces investigation for possible criminal charges in two other corruption scandals. He has denied any misconduct.