Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, is suspected of bribery and corruption, Israeli media reported.
A senior police official told the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Thursday that the premier's wife is a suspect in a bribery probe involving the Bezeq telecommunication company, also known as Case 4000.
The case involves accusations that Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch had instructed the Walla news website, which he owns, to provide Netanyahu with positive media coverage.
Last June, Sara Netanyahu, was indicted for fraud for allegedly using public funds to pay for expensive restaurant meals.
According to the indictment, Sara instructed staff at the Prime Minister's Jerusalem residence to order private meals worth some 350,000 Israeli shekels (roughly $96,600) in the period from 2010 to 2013.
Netanyahu and his family have been the subject of criminal investigations over corruption and fraud allegations.
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.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday said that any international agreements regarding post-war Syria would not be binding on Israel.“With all due respect for agreements and treaties [on Syria], they will not be considered binding for us,” Lieberman was quoted as saying by Israeli daily Haaretz.“We are committed solely to the interests of Israel's security,” he added.Russia to hold major naval drills in MediterraneanThe defense minister did not say exactly what agreements he had in mind, but senior Israeli officials have repeatedly stressed their rejection of any long-term Iranian military presence in Syria.On Monday, Iranian media outlets reported that Tehran and Damascus had signed a number of military and reconstruction agreements during a visit to Syria by Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami. Speaking to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth on Thursday, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said that a permanent Iranian presence in Syria would “endanger” Syria’s Assad regime.Manbij roadmap 'moving forward slowly': Turkey's Akar“We are determined to prevent [long-term] Iranian deployments in Syria,” he asserted.Israel frequently accuses Tehran of exploiting the conflict in neighboring Syria -- where Iran supports the Assad regime -- to establish a permanent military presence near Israel’s border.Russia warns US against 'illegal aggression against Syria'
Israel will not acknowledge int'l agreements on Syria
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman ruled out the possibility of another large-scale military assault on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, saying Israel would pay a “heavy price” for such a move.“There are two options: to topple Hamas with the Israeli army, for which we would pay a heavy price, or to try to find a situation in which the [Gazan] public itself would topple the [Hamas] regime,” Lieberman told Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth on Thursday.An armed Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, when it seized the enclave from rival Palestinian movement Fatah.Israeli army arrests 16 Palestinians in West Bank raidsAnswering questions about the possibility of Hamas winning future Palestinian elections, Lieberman said: “As far as I know, there is no chance of Hamas winning free elections in Gaza.”In 2005, Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and dismantled all of its settlements there. Its air/land/sea blockade of the territory, however, has remained intact until today.In 2006, Hamas swept Palestinian legislative elections, results of which were never implemented due to outstanding differences -- and deep-seated acrimony -- between the resistance group and Fatah.UNRWA warns of increased instability if US cuts fundsIsraeli court extends Palestinian woman’s detention
Israel would pay ‘heavy price’ for Gaza war: Lieberman
The Israeli army rounded up 16 Palestinians in overnight raids carried out across the occupied West Bank, according to an Israeli army statement released Thursday. The individuals were detained for what the army described as “suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities”.It did not elaborate on the nature of these activities.UNRWA warns of increased instability if US cuts fundsThe 16 detained Palestinians have since been remanded into custody for further investigation, according to the same statement. The Israeli army frequently conducts sweeping arrest campaigns across the occupied territories on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians. According to Palestinian figures, some 6,500 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, including scores of women, roughly 350 minors, and at least six lawmakers.Israeli court extends Palestinian woman’s detention
Israeli army arrests 16 Palestinians in West Bank raids
An Israeli military court on Wednesday extended prominent Palestinian journalist Lami Khater’s detention for an eighth time.The Palestinian Prisoners Society, a non-governmental organization, said in a statement that Khater's detention was extended for eight days to complete "legal proceedings".According to her lawyer, the journalist is being investigated for “suspected membership in a banned group”.A mother of five, Khater is a Palestinian activist who has written articles for a number of major Palestinian publications.According to Palestinian figures, more than 6,400 Palestinians are currently being held in detention facilities throughout Israel.Gaza journalists protest colleague's arrest by IsraelIsraeli soldier has ‘no regret’ for killing Palestinian
Israeli court extends Palestinian woman’s detention