Flatto-Sharon, Shmuel

(1930- )

   Born in Lodz, Poland, he immigrated as a child to France and became a successful businessman. He ran in the 1977 Knesset election and again in 1981. When he first ran for parliament, he neither spoke nor understood Hebrew and was a new immigrant (see ALIYA). France had requested his extradition to stand trial on charges of illegal financial transactions, embezzlement, and fraud. Nevertheless, he won more than enough votes to secure a seat in the parliament, and as a member of the Knesset, he gained immunity from extradition. He was later convicted in Israel of bribing voters in the 1977 election.

   He was sentenced to nine months in prison and suspended from the Knesset. He failed in bids for reelection in 1981 and 1984. Undeterred, Flatto-Sharon succeeded in various business ventures, including real estate. Today, he is a philanthropist, outspoken radio talk show personality, and political activist for the release of Jonathan Pollard from prison in the United States and on behalf of establishing casinos in Israel. In 2006, he announced plans to establish an Israel-based English- and French-language commercial television station that would serve as an Israeli public relations vehicle equivalent to Qatar's Al Jazeera TV.