Nir Barkat - Tax Dodger?

12 Marcheshvan 5769

Someone set up an anti-Barkat web site. The site contains plenty of interesting revelations about the man. I found this one particularly interesting:


For those of you that don't read Hebrew:

"Barkat is an example of smuggling taxes abroad - Barkat used tax shelters in order to dodge paying taxes in Israel (The BRM company that he set up is partially registered in the tax shelter country The Cayman Islands in the Caribbean) and declared that he would not invest in Israeli companies that are not registered abroad, in order to not pay taxes in Israel. " (Ha'aretz, "Kol Ha'ir" 23.5.2003)

A quick Google search reveals the following about The Cayman Islands:

There is no direct taxation imposed on Caymanians and Cayman Island companies. The government receives the majority of its income from indirect taxation. A 20% duty is levied against imported goods. Some items are exempted like baby formula, books and cameras. Duty on automobiles depends on the class and make of the model; duty can reach up to 40% for expensive models. Financial institutions that operate in the islands are charged a flat licensing fee by the government. A 10% government tax is placed on all tourist accommodations in addition to the small fee each tourist pays upon getting on the island.

Barkat's propaganda always mentions how he is a Zionist. Based on the above report, I'm willing to wager that Meir Porush has payed a lot more taxes to the Jewish State over the past ten years than Barkat has. Anyone who considers himself a Zionist should vote for Porush.