Olmert donor speaks out

In spite of the urging of his attorney, the American businessman at the center of the unfolding investigation of Israeli PM Ehud Olmert is speaking out.

Morris Talansky says the money he gave to Olmert wasn't a bribe and dismissed reports that he was afraid that Olmert might try to harm him.

In an interview in English with Israel's Channel 10 news, which you can see here for a few hours more, Talansky calls Olmert the one-time "prince of the Likud" and denied suspicions that he was part of a right-wing conspiracy to sabotage Olmert and his peace talks with the Palestinians.

A full transcript is below.

Meanwhile, a new poll finds that 59 percent of Israelis think Olmert should resign. Olmert's popularity has been in the dumps ever since the 2006 summer war against Hezbollah. so it's not especially revealing that the public is disenchanted with the PM.

The most interesting part of the poll is the election match-ups.

Most recent polls have shown voters strongly favoring the conservative Likud Party and its hawkish leader, Benjamin Netanyahu.

But the latest poll shows that voters would prefer Olmert's centrist Kadima party - if Olmert steps aside and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni takes over.

If that happens, according to the poll done for Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, Kadima would get 27 seats in the Israeli parliament, Likud would get 23, and Labor, Kadima's largest current coalition partner, would get 15.

If Olmert leads Kadima, the party only gets 12 seats while Likud gets 28.

The numbers could provide a boost for Livni as Kadima leaders weigh whether to try to push Olmert out before he is ready to go...

Interview with Morris Talanksy on Channel 10  

Did you ever think the money that you raised for Olmert was not legal?

No. I never thought in any way that the money I gave him, which was for the purpose of becoming mayor or electioneering, was in way illegal or wrong. He was not the only one who came to America to ask for money for their election campaign, so I thought it was legal.

We have heard from the police and attorney general that the suspicions are of bribery from you. What is your reaction?

I emphatically deny that I had in my mind to do any business in Israel. It never crossed my mind to do business in Israel. I don’t own any land. I don’t own any buildings. I don’t own any factories. I never built anything here. Never never was that my purpose. I have one apartment. That’s all I had. And for me, this was to build the country and it would have been a desecration if that was my intention, to do that. It never crossed my mind. I can say that (un)equivocally and take an oath anywhere that that is far away from the truth.

So you have no financial interest in Israel?

None. Nothing whatsoever. Check all of the records. I have not now and I never had.

None?

Nothing. Nothing. I don’t have nothing here. If you don’t understand about American Jews you won’t understand what this whole country is about. Okay. It’s very important. My generation in the 70’s who remembered the Shoah and see Israel see this as the place where there is perfection, where there is honesty, where there’s integrity. Therefore all these ideas, these accusations are to us is like something that came out of, as the Greeks call it, they have a very nice name for it “Deus Ex Machina," it came from the luft (air) it came from somewhere. There is something special here and that speciality never made me think this was a place to do business. I would never send my children here, or my grandchildren, and my parents lived here, and 125 people of my family, in a place that -- god forbid -- something should happen to make money. That’s where money is not important anymore.

And Olmert was your leader?

Yes. He was the prince of the Likud, he was going to be mayor. He was a man who was respected, and I respected him too, like everybody else.

And that’s why you helped him?.

Yes.

Do you have any idea what Olmert did with the money you gave him?

No. I assume it was for his election campaign.

Do you still assume that?

I haven’t heard any different to this point and I really don’t know any more. It is very very confusing. I’ve been in a state of questions and I don’t know.

Two days ago we learned from a court decision that you are afraid Olmert will send someone to hurt you?

Ahhh, forget it. That’s ridiculous.

It’s not serious?

No, it’s not serious.

What is your comment on rumors that you are part of a right-wing conspiracy?

Well I’ve heard many funny stories in my life, but that is the most comical one. I’m not part of a conspiracy. I’ve never been involved in a conspiracy. I’ve never marched in a conspiracy and it’s absolutely untrue.

Can you understand the suspicions against Olmert?

I read the papers like everybody else, I hear the stories, but I have no first-hand knowledge of what they’re talking about.

But you’re cooperating with the police?

Yes. They called me and I’m cooperating. I’m telling them the truth. I’m not hiding anything, they asked me questions and I’m telling them the entire truth. I have absolutely nothing to cover or to hide.

(Transcript provided by McClatchy special correspondent Cliff Churgin.)