Netanyahu Questioned Again in Corruption Probe

  • 7/10/2018
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was questioned again by police on Tuesday as part of a corruption investigation. The premier is embroiled in a number of corruption cases. Tuesday’s interrogation centered on a case involving the country’s Bezeq telecom giant. Two Netanyahu confidants have been arrested on suspicion of promoting regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the company. In return, Bezeqs subsidiary news site, Walla, allegedly provided positive Netanyahu coverage. The confidants have since turned state witnesses. Netanyahu held the governments communications portfolio until last year. Police declined to comment and a spokesman for Netanyahu had no immediate comment. Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the accusations as a media witch hunt. Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, has also been accused of corruption. She was charged with fraud and breach of trust and a trial in her case was set to kick off on Monday, but was postponed for three months. The trial at the Jerusalem magistrates court will start on October 7. The delay was approved by judge Avital Chen "at the request of the state attorneys office and the accuseds representative," it said, without providing further details. Sara Netanyahu, 59, was last month charged with misusing state funds to buy delivery meals costing $100,000 (85,000 euros) by falsely declaring there were no cooks available at the premiers official residence. From 2010 to 2013 Netanyahu, her family and guests received "fraudulently from the state hundreds of prepared meals (each including a number of courses) to the value of 359,000 shekels," the indictment read. Netanyahu, a high-profile presence at her husbands side throughout his lengthy time in office, has denied any wrongdoing. Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the charges as "absurd".

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