Netanyahu faces fresh round of questioning over Bezeq Affair
During Tuesday's questioning at the prime minister’s residence in
Jerusalem, investigators are expected to present Netanyahu with new
evidence of state witness Nir Hefetz, a former spokesman.
By Tamara Zieve
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to face another round of
questioning on Tuesday in Case 4000, also known as the “Bezeq Affair.”
Case 4000 refers to a corruption investigation looking into the
relationship between Netanyahu and Bezeq controlling shareholder Shaul
Elovitch, who also owns the Walla news site.
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During Tuesday's questioning at the prime minister’s residence in
Jerusalem, investigators are expected to present Netanyahu with new
evidence provided by state witness Nir Hefetz, a former spokesman for
the Netanyahu family.
Former Netanyahu Spokesman Signs Witness Deal In Graft Probe, March 5, 2018
Elovitch and his wife Iris are expected to be questioned at the same time and reports indicate that Sara Netanyahu will be too.
Police suspect Netanyahu acted to benefit Bezeq in return for favorable
coverage on the news site. Police also suspect that Sara Netanyahu was
in touch with Elovitch’s wife and through her acted to receive favorable
coverage in Walla.
Channel 2 News reported in May that Hefetz testified to the police that
he “spoke to Elovitch six to seven times a day” when he served as
Netanyahu’s adviser. He also provided evidence that both Netanyahu and
Elovitch were aware of an illicit quid pro quo deal between them.
Moreover, Hefetz related that during a visit to Manhattan by the
Netanyahu family, wealthy Jews gave Sara Netanyahu credit cards with
which to buy herself gifts.
The Prime Minister’s Office responded that: “These are total lies
regarding the Netanyahu- Elovitch relationship. Also the false and
malicious claim that the prime minister and his wife used friends’
credit cards is false. This never happened.”
Hefetz also provided new material in Case 1000 and Case 2000.
Kan, Israel's public broadcaster, reported Monday night that police are
also expected to question under caution billionaire Arnon Milchan in
connection with Case 2000.
Milchan is a central figure in Case 1000, which relates to gifts given
by Milchan and James Packer to the Netanyahus, including expensive
cigars, champagne and other gifts worth a total of some NIS 1 million
over several years.
New information, however, suggests he may also be linked to Case 2000,
which probes an alleged arrangement between Netanyahu and Yediot
Aharonot publisher Arnon Mozes to weaken his competitor Israel Hayom in
exchange for better coverage of him in Mozes’s paper.
The new findings indicate that Milchan may have mediated the alleged deal between Netanyahu and Mozes, according to Kan.
Last month Netanyahu was expected to be questioned in Case 4000, but
police surprised him by questioning him, for the first time, in Case
3000, the "Submarines Affair" instead.
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