The questioning of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that was to have taken place in the Prime Minister’s home on Monday morning 4 Teves was postponed until the evening hours. Mr. Netanyahu was questioned by police for three hours regarding allegations he accepted gifts in the form of receiving a bribe – that is to say the gifts were understood as payment for services that would receive from the Prime Minister. After reviewing the evidence in the case which began as a media investigation, which alleges the Prime Minister accepted hundreds of thousands of shekels in gifts, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit ordered the police investigation. Mr. Netanyahu was questioned ‘under warning’ which generally signals there is sufficient evidence in the case and a criminal indictment is likely.

In recent statements, Mandelblit announced Mr. Netanyahu was cleared in another investigation which alleged he accepted illegal election funds pertaining to the 2009 elections. According to media report, statements given police by longtime Netanyahu friend, businessman Ron Lauder were instrumental in Mandelblit’s decision to order a police investigation. He told police that he personally gave gifts to the Prime Minister, including a trip which he financed for Yair, a son of the prime minister. Mandelblit however suspects there is more and the giving was not done in the capacity of a good friend, which he is, but in anticipation of receiving something in return.

In a brief statement made to his Likud faction in Knesset which was aired on national TV, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu advised his adversaries to calm down, citing just as in the past they were already writing his eulogies, the same is here – when in fact, the nation will see there is nothing illegal here and this case too will be closed. “There is nothing and this will amount to nothing” PM Netanyahu explained.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)