A chareidi Member of Knesset has joined the growing list of suspects to be summoned by police for questioning into the probe into alleged widespread government corruption. Dozens of suspects have been arrested and questioned to date, including former cabinet ministers, a current deputy minister, director-generals and other senior officials in ministries and elected and other officials in local government.
According to an Israel Radio Reshet Bet report, the ongoing investigation is widening, now including a number of Members of Knesset. Correspondent Adi Meiri reported included in the four MKs are one minister, adding they are all right-wing; from Likud, Bayit Yehudi and Shas.
Police decided to push off questioning the four until after elections. Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levi, a former Israel Police major-general, sent a letter to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein calling upon him to summon the four for questioning as soon as possible. Levi added that permitting the matter to wait until following elections places a shadow of doubt on the other 116 MKs. He adds that it is also unfair since other MKs have already been summoned for questioning during this pre-election period so in essence, they will have been victims of discrimination if the others are permitted to remain unknown until after elections.
Levi added that with approximately 40 days until elections, the public has the right to hear the truth. He also pointed out that as a former senior department commander, he is aware that once summoned, the questioning of these individuals can be completed in a number of days, hence there is no justifiable reason to delay the process.
A decision from the attorney general is pending.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
2 Responses
One wonders whether or not these announcement really have to happen right now, before the election.
On the one hand, if there are corrupt politicians one wants to know BEFORE the election.
On the other hand, if it’s merely an investigation without formal charges, let alone a fair trial — then one wonders why that information should be released right now during election time.
Stop all funding immediately for the police, prosecutors, and courts.