30 dec 2016
Due to a reported breakthrough in the police investigation, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to issue a criminal probe against Prime Minister Netanyahu; the official inquiry is due to focus on two accounts of bribery and fraud.
An Israeli TV channel reported Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected of receiving valuable gifts from two businessmen.
The Channel 2 segment was the latest in a series of reports in Israeli media saying that police are close to opening a criminal investigation against the prime minister.Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to order the head of police investigations to open the probe into allegations of bribe-taking and aggravated fraud leveled against Netanyahu.
The station said Netanyahu had accepted large-scale "favors" from businessmen in Israel and abroad. It said there had been a breakthrough in the case three weeks ago, but gave no further details.
Channel 2 said Netanyahu was the central suspect in a second investigation that also involves members of his family. It said some 50 witnesses were involved in the case.
The station, along with the Ynet news site, said a formal criminal probe is expected to be opened next week.
Israel's Justice Ministry and police declined to comment on the reports, saying they would issue an update "in due time." Police said Thursday that the media reports contained "speculations and disinformation."
Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment. But in the past, it has denied all allegations of wrongdoing by the prime minister.
In July, Mandelblit announced he was looking into matters concerning Netanyahu but did not disclose what they were. Israeli media at the time reported they were related to Netanyahu's personal finances.
Leading Israeli opposition lawmaker Erel Margalit of the Zionist Union party has been campaigning for a formal investigation into suspicions of prominent donors improperly transferring money for Netanyahu's personal use, as well as reports that Netanyahu's personal attorney represented a German firm involved in a $1.5 billion sale of submarines to Israel.
The attorney general also instructed workers in the state prosecutor’s office to look into allegations that Netanyahu accepted 1 million euros—about $1.1 million—from accused French fraudster Arnaud Mimran in 2009.
Mimran, who is serving eight years in prison for carbon-tax fraud, claimed during his trial to have donated the money to Netanyahu during the 2009 Israeli election campaign.
Netanyahu, who has steadfastly denied the allegation, did admit to accepting $40,000 from Mimran.
In May, State Comptroller Yosef Shapira submitted a critical report on Netanyahu’s foreign trips from 2003 to 2005 as finance minister—some of which were taken with his wife and children.
In an apparently unrelated case this month, there were calls for Netanyahu to be investigated for his role in a Defense Ministry deal to buy submarines from a German company partly owned by the Iranian government.
Allegations surfaced last month that Netanyahu may have been swayed in the decision by business ties his personal counsel, David Shimron, had with the sub’s builder, ThyssenKrupp.
Netanyahu and Shimron have denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
Parts of the defense establishment, including former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, opposed the purchase.
An Israeli TV channel reported Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected of receiving valuable gifts from two businessmen.
The Channel 2 segment was the latest in a series of reports in Israeli media saying that police are close to opening a criminal investigation against the prime minister.Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to order the head of police investigations to open the probe into allegations of bribe-taking and aggravated fraud leveled against Netanyahu.
The station said Netanyahu had accepted large-scale "favors" from businessmen in Israel and abroad. It said there had been a breakthrough in the case three weeks ago, but gave no further details.
Channel 2 said Netanyahu was the central suspect in a second investigation that also involves members of his family. It said some 50 witnesses were involved in the case.
The station, along with the Ynet news site, said a formal criminal probe is expected to be opened next week.
Israel's Justice Ministry and police declined to comment on the reports, saying they would issue an update "in due time." Police said Thursday that the media reports contained "speculations and disinformation."
Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment. But in the past, it has denied all allegations of wrongdoing by the prime minister.
In July, Mandelblit announced he was looking into matters concerning Netanyahu but did not disclose what they were. Israeli media at the time reported they were related to Netanyahu's personal finances.
Leading Israeli opposition lawmaker Erel Margalit of the Zionist Union party has been campaigning for a formal investigation into suspicions of prominent donors improperly transferring money for Netanyahu's personal use, as well as reports that Netanyahu's personal attorney represented a German firm involved in a $1.5 billion sale of submarines to Israel.
The attorney general also instructed workers in the state prosecutor’s office to look into allegations that Netanyahu accepted 1 million euros—about $1.1 million—from accused French fraudster Arnaud Mimran in 2009.
Mimran, who is serving eight years in prison for carbon-tax fraud, claimed during his trial to have donated the money to Netanyahu during the 2009 Israeli election campaign.
Netanyahu, who has steadfastly denied the allegation, did admit to accepting $40,000 from Mimran.
In May, State Comptroller Yosef Shapira submitted a critical report on Netanyahu’s foreign trips from 2003 to 2005 as finance minister—some of which were taken with his wife and children.
In an apparently unrelated case this month, there were calls for Netanyahu to be investigated for his role in a Defense Ministry deal to buy submarines from a German company partly owned by the Iranian government.
Allegations surfaced last month that Netanyahu may have been swayed in the decision by business ties his personal counsel, David Shimron, had with the sub’s builder, ThyssenKrupp.
Netanyahu and Shimron have denied any wrongdoing in the matter.
Parts of the defense establishment, including former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, opposed the purchase.
29 dec 2016
Attorney General Mandelblit is expected to officially announce his decision to instruct the Israel Police to question the prime minister under caution on suspicion of bribery offenses, as well as his decision to close some of the cases involving Netanyahu due to lack of new evidence.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to officially announce in the coming days that he has ordered the Israel Police to launch a criminal investigation against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of bribery offenses.
Mandelblit will also announce his decision to close some of the investigations into matters involving Netanyahu which were launched several months ago, due to the failure to find a reasonable chance of proving that an offense had actually been committed, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday.
In his statement, the attorney general will elaborate on the closed cases and explain why it took so long to look into them and why the information had not been disclosed to the public.
The prime minister’s alleged corruption offenses have been investigated by a small team at the National Fraud Investigations Unit for several months now. The information was handed over to the attorney general, who dismissed part of it at first, but later ordered the police to conduct an examination, after which he would decide whether to launch an official criminal investigation and question Netanyahu.
Channel 10 reported Wednesday that Mandelblit had authorized police to question Netanyahu under caution, and that a date for the interrogation would be set in the coming days. Netanyahu will be required to provide explanations for several issues that arose during the preliminary investigation.
In the past few weeks, the investigators apparently managed to obtain testimonies, some related to elements abroad, which point to an alleged suspicion of a criminal offense which requires an interrogation of the prime minister under caution.
Several meetings were held at Mandelblit’s office in the past week in the presence of Meni Yitzhaki, head of police's Investigations and Intelligence Department, and State Attorney Shai Nitzan. In light of the information presented to Mandelblit and the additional information he requested, he was convinced to order an official investigation.
The attorney general has reiterated that he would not approve an investigation against the prime minister unless he saw a real chance for filing an indictment.
An examination of the other cases involving the prime minister revealed that although they do point to inappropriate conduct, no new evidence or testimonies were found to justify a criminal investigation.
The Israel Police and the Justice Ministry issued a joint response to the Channel 10 report on Wednesday, noting: "We cannot comment on the report for obvious reasons, as the examination is still ongoing. This is neither confirmation or denial of what has been alleged. The attorney-general, the police and prosecutors are working in close cooperation and a public announcement will be made in due course about the investigation."
The prime minister has yet to respond to the report. In the past, Netanyahu has vehemently denied the reports on the legal examination concerning him on numerous occasions. "Nothing will come out of it because there is nothing to it," he said.
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit is expected to officially announce in the coming days that he has ordered the Israel Police to launch a criminal investigation against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of bribery offenses.
Mandelblit will also announce his decision to close some of the investigations into matters involving Netanyahu which were launched several months ago, due to the failure to find a reasonable chance of proving that an offense had actually been committed, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday.
In his statement, the attorney general will elaborate on the closed cases and explain why it took so long to look into them and why the information had not been disclosed to the public.
The prime minister’s alleged corruption offenses have been investigated by a small team at the National Fraud Investigations Unit for several months now. The information was handed over to the attorney general, who dismissed part of it at first, but later ordered the police to conduct an examination, after which he would decide whether to launch an official criminal investigation and question Netanyahu.
Channel 10 reported Wednesday that Mandelblit had authorized police to question Netanyahu under caution, and that a date for the interrogation would be set in the coming days. Netanyahu will be required to provide explanations for several issues that arose during the preliminary investigation.
In the past few weeks, the investigators apparently managed to obtain testimonies, some related to elements abroad, which point to an alleged suspicion of a criminal offense which requires an interrogation of the prime minister under caution.
Several meetings were held at Mandelblit’s office in the past week in the presence of Meni Yitzhaki, head of police's Investigations and Intelligence Department, and State Attorney Shai Nitzan. In light of the information presented to Mandelblit and the additional information he requested, he was convinced to order an official investigation.
The attorney general has reiterated that he would not approve an investigation against the prime minister unless he saw a real chance for filing an indictment.
An examination of the other cases involving the prime minister revealed that although they do point to inappropriate conduct, no new evidence or testimonies were found to justify a criminal investigation.
The Israel Police and the Justice Ministry issued a joint response to the Channel 10 report on Wednesday, noting: "We cannot comment on the report for obvious reasons, as the examination is still ongoing. This is neither confirmation or denial of what has been alleged. The attorney-general, the police and prosecutors are working in close cooperation and a public announcement will be made in due course about the investigation."
The prime minister has yet to respond to the report. In the past, Netanyahu has vehemently denied the reports on the legal examination concerning him on numerous occasions. "Nothing will come out of it because there is nothing to it," he said.
4 dec 2016
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife questioned over misusing state funds for personal use, including providing her late father with a helper, ordering expensive catering services for Israeli guests, and employing an electrician on Yom Kippur; Netanyahu family demands checks be conducted into leaks of questioning transcripts.
The Israel Police have determined that no change should be made to conclusions drawn half a year ago according to which there is prima facie evidence justifying that Sara Netanyahu be brought to trial for three affairs of fraudulently obtaining benefits under aggravated circumstances.
The deductions were drawn after Mrs. Netanyahu was questioned for 11 hours last Thursday over matters pertaining to suspicions of misdirecting and abusing state funds to personal ends. The lengthy session is likely to be the last in a drawn-out police investigation of the Netanyahu family.
The main matters about which Mrs. Netanyahu was questioned were the employment of an assistant in the Prime Minister’s Residence for her late father, the ordering of highly-priced catering for Israeli guests at the residence which were subsequently recorded as meals for foreign guests, thereby entitling them to make more expensive orders, and receipts indicating that an electrician was asked to work on Yom Kippur.
Throughout the questioning, which began at around 5pm, Mrs. Netanyahu cooperated fully with her questioners and insisted that she had no involvement in the use of any levers in the PM’s residence and that she did not demand that anyone carry out any acts whatsoever in contravention of the rules.
Meanwhile, the Netanyahu family has asked the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to look into the possible leaking of transcripts from the investigation of Sara Netanyahu, which were published on Channel 2 News.
Speaking on behalf of Mrs. Netanyahu, Attorneys Yossi Cohen and Amit Hadad said: “This is not a new investigation but rather the completion of one relating to things that were already checked more than a year ago. We state with full confidence that these are trivial matters and in any event there cannot be anything to them because there is nothing.”
Mrs. Netanyahu’s questioning was a follow up to an investigation launched by the Israel Police’s Anti Fraud Unit into the prime minister’s former bureau chief Gil Sheffer who was questioned under caution last week.
Investigators arrived at Mrs. Netanyahu’s questioning armed with recently-collected testimonies from employees at the Prime Minister’s Residence, but mostly with Sheffer’s testimony.
Sheffer, who also came under scrutiny over allegations of sexual assault which allegedly took place 15 years ago against a foreign singer, was unexpectedly summoned for questioning under caution. Prior to this, Sheffer provided evidence in an open investigation.
This time, however the investigators told him he was suspected of fraudulently obtaining benefits and that he was, in fact, the individual responsible for the expenses which went out at Mrs. Netanyahu’s request on state’s tab.
Sheffer’s lawyer issued a statement in which he said that his defendant wasneither guilty of secual offences or the financial misdemeanors being attributed to him.
The Israel Police have determined that no change should be made to conclusions drawn half a year ago according to which there is prima facie evidence justifying that Sara Netanyahu be brought to trial for three affairs of fraudulently obtaining benefits under aggravated circumstances.
The deductions were drawn after Mrs. Netanyahu was questioned for 11 hours last Thursday over matters pertaining to suspicions of misdirecting and abusing state funds to personal ends. The lengthy session is likely to be the last in a drawn-out police investigation of the Netanyahu family.
The main matters about which Mrs. Netanyahu was questioned were the employment of an assistant in the Prime Minister’s Residence for her late father, the ordering of highly-priced catering for Israeli guests at the residence which were subsequently recorded as meals for foreign guests, thereby entitling them to make more expensive orders, and receipts indicating that an electrician was asked to work on Yom Kippur.
Throughout the questioning, which began at around 5pm, Mrs. Netanyahu cooperated fully with her questioners and insisted that she had no involvement in the use of any levers in the PM’s residence and that she did not demand that anyone carry out any acts whatsoever in contravention of the rules.
Meanwhile, the Netanyahu family has asked the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to look into the possible leaking of transcripts from the investigation of Sara Netanyahu, which were published on Channel 2 News.
Speaking on behalf of Mrs. Netanyahu, Attorneys Yossi Cohen and Amit Hadad said: “This is not a new investigation but rather the completion of one relating to things that were already checked more than a year ago. We state with full confidence that these are trivial matters and in any event there cannot be anything to them because there is nothing.”
Mrs. Netanyahu’s questioning was a follow up to an investigation launched by the Israel Police’s Anti Fraud Unit into the prime minister’s former bureau chief Gil Sheffer who was questioned under caution last week.
Investigators arrived at Mrs. Netanyahu’s questioning armed with recently-collected testimonies from employees at the Prime Minister’s Residence, but mostly with Sheffer’s testimony.
Sheffer, who also came under scrutiny over allegations of sexual assault which allegedly took place 15 years ago against a foreign singer, was unexpectedly summoned for questioning under caution. Prior to this, Sheffer provided evidence in an open investigation.
This time, however the investigators told him he was suspected of fraudulently obtaining benefits and that he was, in fact, the individual responsible for the expenses which went out at Mrs. Netanyahu’s request on state’s tab.
Sheffer’s lawyer issued a statement in which he said that his defendant wasneither guilty of secual offences or the financial misdemeanors being attributed to him.
A Palestinian representative body announced on Saturday it is examining ways to prosecute Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu for racial incitement.
The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of the Green Line, one of the top representative organizations in Palestine, accused Netanyahu of hate speech against Palestinian citizens of 1948 Occupied Palestine after a series of fires broke out across the area.
The committee condemned the Prime Minister’s statements, in addition to the role played by some of his ministers and the Israeli mass media.
The organization dubbed Netanyahu’s language a gateway to the escalation of incitement against the Palestinian people.
The committee also issued a statement criticizing the occupation government for its racist law on religious broadcasts, in reference to an Israeli ban on Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer).
The move came after Netanyahu claimed that Palestinians had been deliberately starting the fires that swept across many parts of the Green Line (territories occupied by Israel in 1948).
The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of the Green Line, one of the top representative organizations in Palestine, accused Netanyahu of hate speech against Palestinian citizens of 1948 Occupied Palestine after a series of fires broke out across the area.
The committee condemned the Prime Minister’s statements, in addition to the role played by some of his ministers and the Israeli mass media.
The organization dubbed Netanyahu’s language a gateway to the escalation of incitement against the Palestinian people.
The committee also issued a statement criticizing the occupation government for its racist law on religious broadcasts, in reference to an Israeli ban on Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer).
The move came after Netanyahu claimed that Palestinians had been deliberately starting the fires that swept across many parts of the Green Line (territories occupied by Israel in 1948).
3 dec 2016
The Israeli anti-corruption police on Thursday grilled the wife of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, Sara, for over 12 hours on charges of financial corruption and fraud.
Because of the complexity of the case, Sara Netanyahu remained under questioning by the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit from about 1 pm until 1 am Friday morning.
In a statement, Lahav 433 said that the findings of the investigation were transferred to the office of the Jerusalem district attorneys where a decision on indictment and prosecution could be reached.
Her interrogation follows the questioning of Meni Naftali, the former caretaker of the Netanyahu’s residence in Occupied Jerusalem. That testimony lasted for several hours and raised new questions in the case, according to a report on Channel 10.
The police also confronted Ezra Seidoff, a former top deputy in Netanyahu’s office, who is also under investigation in the probe, based on the new information, the report said.
Also on the same day, police sources revealed that Gil Sheffer, the former chief of staff in the premier’s office, was questioned two weeks ago regarding accusations leveled against him of his involvement in misusing public funds on behalf of Sara and committing sexual offenses.
Sheffer was ordered to five days’ house arrest.
Other Israeli officials and politicians were also questioned for their involvement in corruption and immoral acts. The police clamped a gag order on the publication of their names.
Because of the complexity of the case, Sara Netanyahu remained under questioning by the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit from about 1 pm until 1 am Friday morning.
In a statement, Lahav 433 said that the findings of the investigation were transferred to the office of the Jerusalem district attorneys where a decision on indictment and prosecution could be reached.
Her interrogation follows the questioning of Meni Naftali, the former caretaker of the Netanyahu’s residence in Occupied Jerusalem. That testimony lasted for several hours and raised new questions in the case, according to a report on Channel 10.
The police also confronted Ezra Seidoff, a former top deputy in Netanyahu’s office, who is also under investigation in the probe, based on the new information, the report said.
Also on the same day, police sources revealed that Gil Sheffer, the former chief of staff in the premier’s office, was questioned two weeks ago regarding accusations leveled against him of his involvement in misusing public funds on behalf of Sara and committing sexual offenses.
Sheffer was ordered to five days’ house arrest.
Other Israeli officials and politicians were also questioned for their involvement in corruption and immoral acts. The police clamped a gag order on the publication of their names.
16 nov 2016
An Israeli woman working in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) filed a complaint of sexual harassment against a staff member, Israeli outlets reported Tuesday.
According to the Israeli Yedioth Ahronot newspaper, the assault dates back to a few weeks ago when a female employee complained to her director in the office about being sexually abused.
The woman was reportedly boiling with rage and burst into tears as she confessed the case.
Current employees in Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said they heard the director as responding to the victim by telling her: “You should not be here, then. Take your luggage and go back home. I don’t want to see you here again. You’re fired!”
Following the verbal assault, the victim sent a report to the judicial office in charge of feminist issues and reported cases of sexual abuse.
The victim was transferred to another department in the PMO after the judge ruled for restoring her post.
A probe is expected to be launched into the accusations in due course, according to sources from Netanyahu’s office.
According to the Israeli Yedioth Ahronot newspaper, the assault dates back to a few weeks ago when a female employee complained to her director in the office about being sexually abused.
The woman was reportedly boiling with rage and burst into tears as she confessed the case.
Current employees in Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said they heard the director as responding to the victim by telling her: “You should not be here, then. Take your luggage and go back home. I don’t want to see you here again. You’re fired!”
Following the verbal assault, the victim sent a report to the judicial office in charge of feminist issues and reported cases of sexual abuse.
The victim was transferred to another department in the PMO after the judge ruled for restoring her post.
A probe is expected to be launched into the accusations in due course, according to sources from Netanyahu’s office.
5 oct 2016
Lauder. Questioned after Peres' funeral
The Jewish-American billionaire, considered close to the Netanyahus, spoke to Israeli investigators shortly after the funeral of Shimon Peres; he may be called to testify again if a criminal investigation is opened.
As part of an inquiry into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel Police has recently questioned one of the PM's close friends, World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald Lauder.
Shortly after attending the funeral of former Israeli president Shimon Peres on Friday, the Jewish-American billionaire gave testimony to Lahav 433 (a special investigations unit of the Israel Police) officials regarding Netanyahu and his wife Sara. The couple and Lauder are close friends, with Lauder having hosted the Netanyahus on several occasions.
Since the process is currently a preliminary inquiry as opposed to a full criminal investigation, police cannot go abroad to question people who may be involved. Therefore, the police waited until Lauder happened to be in the country before questioning him.
Recently, rumors claimed that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit was not planning on opening a full investigation, but in an interview given to Israeli Bar Association journal Orech Hadin, Mandelblit said he has not made up his mind yet. "Even though the final decision will be mine, and my responsibility, it is not taken alone," he explained.
"I consult many parties on the way, and this of course includes investigative parties and the State Attorney's Office. The inquiry is still ongoing, there are still actions that need to be taken by the police, in conjunction with the permissions I handed out – and that's the reason the case's final materials has not yet been given to me and is not on my table, awating a decision," Mandelblit continued.
Mandelblit also addressed the idea that the inquiry may be influenced by his personal connections to PM Netanyahu. "I have had no friendly, familial, or political connection to the prime minister," he said, "And I haven't been to his home in Caesarea."
The Jewish-American billionaire, considered close to the Netanyahus, spoke to Israeli investigators shortly after the funeral of Shimon Peres; he may be called to testify again if a criminal investigation is opened.
As part of an inquiry into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel Police has recently questioned one of the PM's close friends, World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald Lauder.
Shortly after attending the funeral of former Israeli president Shimon Peres on Friday, the Jewish-American billionaire gave testimony to Lahav 433 (a special investigations unit of the Israel Police) officials regarding Netanyahu and his wife Sara. The couple and Lauder are close friends, with Lauder having hosted the Netanyahus on several occasions.
Since the process is currently a preliminary inquiry as opposed to a full criminal investigation, police cannot go abroad to question people who may be involved. Therefore, the police waited until Lauder happened to be in the country before questioning him.
Recently, rumors claimed that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit was not planning on opening a full investigation, but in an interview given to Israeli Bar Association journal Orech Hadin, Mandelblit said he has not made up his mind yet. "Even though the final decision will be mine, and my responsibility, it is not taken alone," he explained.
"I consult many parties on the way, and this of course includes investigative parties and the State Attorney's Office. The inquiry is still ongoing, there are still actions that need to be taken by the police, in conjunction with the permissions I handed out – and that's the reason the case's final materials has not yet been given to me and is not on my table, awating a decision," Mandelblit continued.
Mandelblit also addressed the idea that the inquiry may be influenced by his personal connections to PM Netanyahu. "I have had no friendly, familial, or political connection to the prime minister," he said, "And I haven't been to his home in Caesarea."
