Israelis advised Assad’s uncle on graft case in France

ANKARA (AA) – Prominent Israeli figures were among the advisers to an uncle of Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad convicted in France last month of money laundering and similar offenses, reported Israeli media.

The advisers to Rifaat al-Assad, the younger brother of late President Hafez al-Assad, included a former member of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) from the Likud Party, a former senior official in the Israeli government office, and a prominent Israeli lawyer reported Yedioth Ahronoth daily on Saturday.

Last month, a court in Paris convicted Rifaat al-Assad, 82, of embezzling public funds in Syria, laundering money, and owning real estate in France valued at tens of millions of dollars collected illegally.

Al-Assad is currently free pending an appeal. However, the court confiscated his property assets in France, valued at about €90 million ($100 million).