Police seek to bar labor union chief from office for 90 days amid corruption probe

Police investigators are seeking to bar Histadrut labor federation chairman Arnon Bar David and his insurance agent Ezra Gabay from the trade federation’s offices for 90 days, as they continue to investigate the pair on corruption suspicions as part of a far-reaching probe, Hebrew outlets report.

The trade federation chief is suspected of taking payments from Gabay, who allegedly has been operating a massive bribery network within the Histadrut and its subsidiaries. Police believe Gabay exploited his close connections to Bar David to fix jobs for his associates within the Histadrut, on the condition that the recipients secure insurance contracts with his agency.

Police in the Lahav 433 major crimes unit are requesting in the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court that the two be temporarily removed from their positions. They are particularly concerned about keeping Bar David away from Histadrut circles, fearing potential interference in witness testimonies, the Kan public broadcaster reports.