Police have been conducting an investigation into the Balad faction of the Arab Bloc in Knesset, and it appears criminal charges will be recommended against a number of party officials.

At the end of the investigation, the police recommend to the State Prosecutor’s Office to file indictments against Knesset members Hanin Zoabi, Jamal Zahalka and Jouma Azbarga.

In the course of the investigation, a large number of participants were interrogated, some of them under warning, including the Knesset members mentioned above.

The investigation was conducted in the Lahav 433 unit, and accompanied by the Economic Department of the State Attorney’s Office, focusing on: reports submitted to the State Comptroller by the party regarding donations in the 2013 elections and reports on expenditures for the 2015 elections.

Police offiicals said that “upon conclusion of the investigation, the investigating unit believes that a prima facie evidentiary infrastructure has been formed against party officials, each according to his part in establishing suspicion of involvement in offenses of integrity, fraud, forgery, money laundering, and breach of trust.”

The investigation file was transferred to the State Attorney’s Office for review and decision regarding criminal indictments.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)