Netanyahu Suspect In New Police Probe, Will Be Questioned

Just days after the police recommended that the attorney general seek indictments against Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the premier’s legal problems are still piling up. And as they do, international interest and media coverage are stacking up as well, with many Israelis expressing chagrin at being thrust beneath the global spotlight in such a negative way. Following last week’s police recommendation that he be indicted for bribery in two probes, known respectively as Case 1000 and Case 2000, this week saw details of Case 4000 emerge in which Netanyahu may have again attempted to orchestrate better coverage of him and his family from the owner of the popular Walla news site in exchange for the Communications Ministry—which he then headed—enacting policies potentially worth hundreds of millions of shekels [Israeli currency] for Shaul Elovitch, Walla’s owner and the controlling shareholder of the huge Bezeq communications company. The quo of the quid reportedly involved Netanyahu helping Bezeq buy the Israeli satellite cable provider Yes while overriding any anti-trust issues raised by ministry officials. The premier’s wife, Sara, is also expected to be questioned as a suspect over alleged efforts to influence Walla’s news coverage through her close relations with Elovitch’s spouse and daughter. After the case was transferred Sunday from the Israel Securities Authority to the Israel Police, two “very close” Netanyahu associates were arrested, along with three senior Bezeq officials. For his part, the Israeli premier described the allegations as “baseless” and part of a “media witch hunt.”