Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday over what local media said was a case involving the country's largest telecoms firm, one of three corruption probes in which he has been named as a suspect.
Netanyahu, a conservative premier now in his fourth term, has denied any wrongdoing in all the cases. He has been questioned over so-called "Case 4000" before and police have yet to make a recommendation about any charges.
The authorities allege Netanyahu awarded regulatory favours to Bezeq Telecom Israel in return for positive coverage of him and his wife on a news website owned by the company.
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
In the two other cases, in which police have recommended that Netanyahu be charged with bribery, the final decision about whether to prosecute rests with the Israeli attorney general. It could be months away, raising questions as to possible impact on a national ballot scheduled for 2019.
Polls show strong support for a Netanyahu reelection, but the investigations have helped rally the centre-left opposition.
Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday (August 17) over alleged dealings with the country's largest telecommunication company, Israel Radio said. Police arrived at Netanyahu's resident on Friday morning, where demonstrators had unfurled a large banner reading 'Crime Minister'.
Police question Netanyahu in long running corruption probe
As police investigators arrived at the prime minister's official residence in Jerusalem on Friday, their car was thronged by anti-Netanyahu demonstrators who had unfurled a huge banner reading: "Crime Minister".
In a brief joint statement, the police and the Israel Securities Agency said only that Netanyahu had been questioned as part of "the effort against financial crime".