OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, December 14 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A former member of Knesset in the Likud party revealed Saturday, December 14, that he had been offered votes for money, an Israeli daily newspaper reported.

Akiva Nof, who had competed in the Likud primaries but failed to win a spot, said that a political activist had told him he could gather supporters, including members of his own family, who could be counted on to vote for Nof, Ha’aretz reported.

Nof said he was “disgusted” by the idea and did not ask about details, and added he would be willing to answer any questions during an investigation.

This revelation is the latest in a series of allegations of vote buying within the Likud. In light of the allegations, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appointed Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit to head a special committee investigating ways of improving the Likud Party’s system of internal elections, Ha’aretz said.

Likud members fear that the allegations will stay with the party until the general election campaign and drive away voters, the paper added.

Sheetrit said Saturday that Sharon had promised to give full support to the committee, which is expected to reach a conclusion within three days.

The paper also reported that more details were emerging about how 27-year-old Inbal Gavrieli won the 31st spot on the Likud list.

According to Ha’aretz, Gavrieli’s father, Shoni Gavrieli, used his popular Jaffa restaurant for meetings with central committee members, and Shoni’s brother, Reuven, who is under police investigation, was a key player at the meetings.

Two other brothers, Haim and Aryeh Gavrieli, who have served time for drug dealing, extortion, threats and other charges, also attended and were given legitimacy by two key Likud players - Public Security Minister Uzi Landau and his deputy Gideon Ezra. Other ministers also took part at the restaurant events, including Danny Naveh, while prominent figures like Roni Milo attended, Ha’aretz reported.

On Thursday, December 12, Sharon’s strategists tried to minimize the importance of press reports about bribes paid for votes and attempts by central committee members to extort benefits in exchange for their support, the paper said.

Sources close to Sharon said “The Israeli voter is ultimately choosing a prime minister and not Gila Gamliel or Inbal Gavrieli,” referring to two of the many anonymous winners in the central committee vote early this week.

“Those who want Sharon to continue running the country in his responsible, balanced and experienced way, will choose him even if someone on the list was not properly elected,” the paper quoted the source as saying.

Ha’aretz also reported that two more Likud members came forward Thursday to complain about the alleged corruption.

Nahman Shechter, who lost in the Negev district against Sharon’s son, Omri, said he too was told to pay for votes, an offer he said he rejected on the spot.

Yehiel Hazan, who won a spot in the top 50 nominees, also told Israel TV that several of the elected members of the list bought some of their votes from a “well-known” Jerusalem vote contractor who belongs to the Likud, the paper added.

Other Likud members, including members of Knesset, confirmed Thursday that the internal Likud campaign was characterized by blatant demands for bribes, saying that the demands were made to new candidates, and not directed at ministers or prominent party members, Ha’aretz said.

On another note, twenty-nine lists will compete for the January 28 legislative elections in Israel, the electoral commission announced Friday, December 13, after the registration deadline, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Thirteen of the lists represent new parties, while the remaining 16 had run for previous elections.

According to opinion polls, Sharon’s Likud will almost double its number of seats in parliament and will be the dominant force in the 16th Knesset, but will nevertheless need to form a coalition with other parties.

A poll published Friday in the daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot showed Likud’s lead slightly reduced, giving it 35 seats against 19 at present, while Labor would do better than earlier polls indicated, with 22 seats against 25 in the outgoing Knesset.

The latest poll was conducted after the parties drew up their lists, with Likud favoring hardliners and Labor going for compromise, at the cost of losing leading dove Yossi Beilin to the secular left-wing Meretz party.

Among the most eccentric lists are the Party for the Rights of Men in the Family and the Green Leaf, a party advocating the legalization of cannabis and which polls say stands a good chance of winning a seat in parliament.

For the previous legislative elections in May 1999, Israeli voters had to choose from a record 33 lists.

To enter the Knesset, a list needs to secure 1.5 percent of the votes cast by Israel’s 4.7 registered voters.