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Crime

Benjamin Netanyahu questioned by Israeli police

March 2, 2018

Police have already arrested two people close to Netanyahu for allegedly promoting regulations for Israel's largest telecommunications company. The prime minister is also a suspect in two other graft probes.

https://p.dw.com/p/2tYv5
Benjamin Netanyahu
Image: Reuters/R. Zvulun

Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife on Friday for the first time about a corruption case involving the country's largest telecommunications company, Bezeq.

Israeli media reported police were at Netanyahu's residence. Officers reportedly questioned his wife, Sara, at a police station near Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu, a four-term prime minister who was re-elected in 2009, has also held several ministry posts, including the communications portfolio from 2014-2017.

Sara Netanyahu
Sara Netanyahu has reportedly also been questionedImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Sultan

Read more: Israelis protest corruption in Netanyahu's government for fourth week

Two confidants arrested

Police arrested Netanyahu's ex-family spokesperson and another close friend in late February for allegedly promoting communications regulations beneficial to Bezeq. Bezeq's news site, Walla, is alleged to have positively covered Netanyahu and his wife in return. Both deny any wrongdoing.

Netanyahu has dismissed accusations against him as a "witch-hunt."

Read more: Under pressure over corruption, Israel's Netanyahu calls for change to police bill

Embattled leader

Israel's attorney-general is set to decide on whether to accept a police recommendation to charge Netanyahu based on allegations in two other corruption investigations.

The prime minister is suspected in one case, known as Case 1000, of receiving nearly $300,000 (€245,000) in bribes from a billionaire businessman.

In Case 2000, he is suspected of trying to curb sales of Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom in an attempt to garner positive coverage from rival newspaper Yediot Aharonot.

amp/kms (AP, Reuters)