Ehud Barak today denied media reports that he and Ira Rennert were in the race to acquire Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI), which is being privatized.
"I've been abroad for a few weeks, and I saw the reports about this with great surprise," Barak told "Globes". I have not now, or ever, any intention of acquiring IMI. There is no basis to these reports. I took the decision never to be involved in any of the defense companies that I had relations with during my tenure as defense minister, as part of the mandated cooling-off period for public servants."
As for his relations with Rennert, Barak said, "I am astonished that none of the parties which published this report did not ask me about it. I know Rennert well; he has done a great deal for Israel, but I have no business relations with him."
On Sunday, EA Investment Banking Ltd. CEO Eldad Avraham asked the ministerial privatization committee, which is chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to prevent Barak from participating in the IMI tender. The committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the company's privatization. Avraham is organizing a consortium to bid in IMI's tender, if and when the government publishes it.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 14, 2013
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