Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara, interviewed candidates for the post of military advisor to her husband, former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon charged on Friday.
Yaalon made the accusation in an interview with Israel’s Hebrew-language Channel 2, which is set to be broadcast in full Friday evening.
“The Defense Ministry sent candidates for the post to the prime minister's office to be interviewed by Netanyahu… but were shocked to find that the interviews were being conducted by Sara,” Yaalon says in the interview (excerpts of which have already been broadcast).
According to Yaalon, Israeli Army Chief-of-Staff Gadi Eizenkot had expressed anger after learning that the PM’s wife was interviewing candidates for the post.
Israeli police will question Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday over corruption allegations, local media reported on Wednesday.According to Channel Two, investigators will question Netanyahu on suspicions that he awarded favors to Israel’s telecom company Bezeq Telecom in return for favorable coverage on the company’s news site.Friday’s session of interrogation will be the last one in this case, the channel said.Police investigators will be assumed to have gathered sufficient evidence of bribery to recommend an indictment against Netanyahu, it added.Netanyahu has been the subject of criminal investigations in separate corruption cases. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.In February, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted for alleged corruption, saying there was now sufficient evidence to formally charge him in two separate graft cases.The first case involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for Netanyahu and his wife.The second relates to an alleged deal -- again for favorable media coverage -- with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.Israel razes two Palestinian apartments in East JerusalemIsrael protests ICC calls to help ‘Palestine’ victimsIsrael re-opens Gaza’s commercial crossing
Police to grill Israeli PM on graft allegations Friday
Within the last two years, Netanyahu and his wife have been questioned by judicial authorities on several occasions amid multiple allegations of corruption.
In June, Sara was indicted for fraud for allegedly using public funds to pay for expensive restaurant meals.
In February, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted for graft, saying there was sufficient evidence to formally charge him in two separate corruption cases.
The first case involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for both Netanyahu and his wife.
The second relates to an alleged deal for favorable media coverage with Arnon Mozes, publisher of prominent Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
Israel's finance minister confirmed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt in May to discuss a long-term ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.A spokesman for Netanyahu had declined to comment on the meeting after it was first reported on Monday by Israel's Channel Ten News.Egypt and the United Nations have been trying to mediate a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, the group that rules Gaza, following a spike in cross-border violence in the past few months.The two leaders discussed the easing of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza, rehabilitation of its infrastructure and terms for a ceasefire, the Channel Ten report said.Asked on Israeli Army Radio whether he had known of the meeting, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon replied "Yes." He added that "everything that will happen in Gaza will be done with Egyptian mediation and involvement".More than two million Palestinians are packed into the Gaza Strip, which is experiencing deep economic hardship. The World Bank has described the situation as a humanitarian crisis with shortages of water, electricity and medicine.Citing security concerns, Israel and Egypt keep tight restrictions on their border crossings with Gaza, which have reduced the enclave's economy to a state of collapse.At least 161 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire in weekly protests along the Israel-Gaza border that began on March 30, and one Israeli soldier has been killed by a Palestinian sniper.
Israeli minister confirms Netanyahu met Sisi over Gaza