News13 revealed that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Bureau Chief, Gil Sheffer, purchased cigars for Mr. Netanyahu, at his behest, valued at NIS tens of thousands, as per the main state witness in Case 1000 against the prime minister, Hadas Klein.

News13 on the Sunday evening news reported additional statements from Hadas Klein, the main state witness in Case 1000 against PM Netanyahu as well as being the assistant to businessman Arnon Milchan. Klein, in her testimony added that Sheffer once told her that he is owed NIS 50,000 for cigars that he purchased for the prime minister during his work on his staff.

When investigators questioned Sheffer on the matter, he is said to have responded, “I will note that I myself am a cigar lover and have often smoked cigars with Netanyahu. Every once in a while, not on a daily basis, I would buy a cigar or two for myself and Bibi, but in any case, the two of us worked out the cost between ourselves”.

Klein also recently told investigators that Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen purchased cigars for Netanyahu on one occasion, when he was serving as National Security Advisor, before being appointed to head the Mossad.

She gave testimony that the cigars purchased by Cohen amounted to thousands of shekels, adding “Netanyahu did not plan to pay for them”, and this was the first and last time that Cohen bought them for him. Klein told investigators that the cigars cost NIS 1,800 each.

Statements on behalf of Netanyahu insist Klein’s testimony is simply fabricated, not based in fact, and that Cohen never gave him any gifts whatsoever.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)