It has already been reported that Knesset Coalition Chairman MK (Likud) David Bitan is among the seventeen public officials questioned by police in the probe of widespread corruption in Rishon L’Tzion.

Bitan, one of the persons close to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, was questioned by the Serious Crimes Unit earlier this week for 13 hours, and he is scheduled to be called for another session of questions on Wednesday, 18 Kislev. Bitan was questioned’ under warning’, which means police have sufficient evidence against the suspect that a criminal indictment is likely.

In this case, Bitan stated he has total confidence in the law enforcement and judicial systems and has not doubt the truth will be learned as a result of the probe.

That said, it is reported that Bitan, in his capacity as head of the Rishon L’Tzion Building & Planning Committee, made deals with the underworld to advance their projects in exchange for cash to pay off his heavy debts, which reportedly amounted to NIS 16 million. His questioning is not at all connected to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or any of the ongoing police investigations against the prime minister.

While Bitan is trying to continue business as usual, many are already questioning who will replace him as coalition chair for clearly, his days as a Member of Knesset are numbered. Bitan announced he does not plan to step down as a MK, but the Times of Israel already ties senior organized crime figure Hossam Jarushi to the case involving Bitan, signaling the case against the coalition chairman is far more serious than he would have the tzibur believe and that his days in his current position are indeed winding down.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)