The Israel Police will review various aspects of the recent purchase of three German submarines, Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit said on Wednesday. The Attorney General's Office stressed the police would be conducting a review of aspects concerning a potential conflict of interest in the deal, underscoring that at this time, the police have not been instructed to launch a criminal investigation into the case. Mendelblit's order followed consultations held Wednesday with State Attorney Shai Nitzan, Justice Ministry officials and Police Investigations and Intelligence Unit officials. The attorney general ruled Sunday that there was no criminal wrongdoing tainting the deal, but noted the review into whether any conflict of interest had affected the acquisition would continue, especially with respect to attorney David Shimron, who is at the heart of the controversy surrounding the deal. The Israeli businessman representing the German shipyard that builds the submarines in question is a client of Shimron's, who is also Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal attorney, spurring allegations of conflict of interest. The Attorney General's Office further stressed that the police review does not concern Netanyahu, but rather seeks to ascertain whether information the police has regarding Shimron's actions, as well as the actions taken by others involved in deals concerning the procurement of defense measures for Israel's offshore gas rigs, amount to evidence warranting a criminal probe. Shimron welcomed Mendelblit's decision. "I welcome the attorney general's decision to order a review. I am confident that after a professional, objective review is conducted, it will find that my actions were beyond reproach, and that everything was done according to the law. I will naturally lend law enforcement my full cooperation in the matter," he said. The Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday issued a statement saying, "Attorney Shimron never spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about this tender. After the Defense Ministry issued a tender for the purchase of the vessels, the German government compromised on the price. "As a result, the Foreign Ministry and the National Security Council recommended the prime minister and the defense minister cancel the tender and take the superior German offer, also in light of the importance of [Israel's] strategic ties with Germany. "This was also the IDF's recommendation to the defense minister -- the result of considerations of the quality of the vessel, the price and the date of delivery. In light of these recommendations, the Defense Ministry decided to cancel the tender." Opposition MKs welcomed Mendelblit's decision as well. The attorney general's decision "lifted a weight off the public's shoulders, and allayed concerns that governmental corruption is now a matter of routine," Zionist Union MK Shelly Yachimovich said. Meretz Chairwoman Zehava Galon said, "Better late than never. It is regrettable though, that the attorney general chose to order a mere 'review' when all signs indicate that a criminal investigation against the prime minister is due." On Wednesday, the coalition defeated two opposition motions calling for a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the case: A motion by the Zionist Union was defeated in a vote of 49 against to 40 in favor, while a Meretz motion was voted down 50 to 40.
