Wednesday, January 25th., 2017
Corruption Investigation: Israel’s Probe of Netanyahu Widens
Corruption Investigation: Israel’s Probe of Netanyahu Widens
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REUTERS/ RONEN ZVULUN
A corruption probe into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been widened to include two other matters, according to media reports from Jerusalem.
Added
to the investigation is a deal for Israel to purchase German submarines
from ThyssenKrupp, while the second issue remains unclear. Israeli
police have not yet indicated publicly whether the matters are under a
preliminary probe or being officially investigated.
Netanyahu was already under investigation for bribery, stemming from his receipt of lavish gifts from wealthy donors during his 2009 campaign.
Netanyahu has long been the subject of scrutiny over his financial dealings and has been previously accused of using state funds to pay for his family’s expensive lifestyle.
Additionally, it is being investigated whether the Prime Minister made a quiet deal with Arnon Moses, the publisher of Israel’s top newspaper, to help diminish the paper’s competition, in exchange for favorable coverage.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.
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AFP 2016/ Andrew Harnik
“On Sunday, police descended on the Defense
Ministry to gather information relating to a ship-building contract
with Germany, as part of a probe into how negotiations for multi-billion
shekel naval deals were handled,” the Times of Israel reported
in December 2106.
In June 2016, it was reported that police chief Roni Alsheich had
launched a secret investigation into Netanyahu’s dealings through the
involvement of Lahav 433, an internal corruption-fighting group
within the country’s police force.Netanyahu was already under investigation for bribery, stemming from his receipt of lavish gifts from wealthy donors during his 2009 campaign.
Netanyahu has long been the subject of scrutiny over his financial dealings and has been previously accused of using state funds to pay for his family’s expensive lifestyle.
Additionally, it is being investigated whether the Prime Minister made a quiet deal with Arnon Moses, the publisher of Israel’s top newspaper, to help diminish the paper’s competition, in exchange for favorable coverage.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.