Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu was questioned under caution on Monday night on suspicion of fraud, breach of trust and unlawfully accepting gifts, reportedly from two businessmen, an Israeli and a foreigner.
Israeli media reported that at least one of the businessmen under investigation has financial interests in Israel, although bribery is not suspected at this juncture.
Attorney general Avichai Mandelblit authorised the police to carry out a criminal investigation last month but insisted on maintaining secrecy. According to unconfirmed media reports, a former confidant of Mr Netanyahu has turned state’s witness and the police are trying to secure the co-operation of other former Netanyahu aides by various means.
American-Jewish businessman Ron Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, reportedly admitted giving various gifts to the Netanyahu family, including suits for Mr Netanyahu himself and hospitality for his son Yair while on trips abroad. Mr Lauder said these were simply gifts between friends, the result of a decades-long friendship.
Media accused
Right-wing politicians accused the “left-wing media” of an attempt to depose Mr Netanyahu by making false allegations after failing to defeat him at the polls. Hours before he was questioned, Mr Netanyahu said the press and his opponents should put their celebrations on hold.
“I told them – and I repeat and tell you – there won’t be anything because there wasn’t anything,” he said to applause from his Likud Knesset faction. Addressing the opposition, Mr Netanyahu said: “You’re going to continue to blow up balloons with hot air and we’re going to continue to lead the state of Israel.”
Opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog said he was not deriving any pleasure from the affair. “This is not a happy day; this is a difficult day for Israel.”
As the police questioning began, a member of Mr Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party introduced a new Bill which aims to shield an incumbent prime minister from police interrogation and prosecution barring extreme circumstances.
“They’ve built an army to oust a prime minister. This is getting obsessive,” said interior committee chairman and Likud Knesset member David Amsalem, who said his Bill would apply “from the next investigation” should it pass.
Several scandals
The Bill bars a criminal investigation against a sitting prime minister except in one of the following cases: security or sexual offenses, violence or drugs. Mr Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, have been linked to several scandals over the years, including investigations into the misuse of state funds and an audit of the family’s spending, but nothing has stuck.
Mr Netanyahu is not the first prime minister to be questioned in a criminal case. Ehud Olmert, who held office from 2006 to 2009, is currently serving 18 months in prison after being convicted of breach of trust and bribery in 2014.
Former prime minister Ariel Sharon was questioned while in office in 2003 and 2004 over allegations of bribery and corruption involving him and his two sons. In 2006, his son Omri was convicted of corruption and served time in prison.