Israeli police grill Netanyahu for hours over corruption case

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to protest his innocence in corruption allegations after being questioned by police for an eighth time, casting a shadow on his visit to Washington.

Police entered Mr Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem on Friday morning and left about five hours later as part of an investigation into a corruption case involving Israel’s telecommunications company Bezeq. Mr Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, was also questioned, at a different location.

Police said the couple were questioned by officers and the Israel Securities Authority.

Two of Mr Netanyahu’s confidants were arrested last month on suspicion of promoting laws worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Bezeq. In return, Bezeq’s news site Walla allegedly provided positive coverage for the prime minister.

It is the first time that Mr Netanyahu, who as prime minister also held the communications portfolio until last year, is being questioned over this particular affair, known as Case 4000.

He is supposed to visit Washington, DC this week, where he is to meet United States President Donald Trump and to speak before the pro-Israel lobby Aipac.

Police have recommended indicting Mr Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. He is accused of accepting up to US$300,000 (Dh1.1 million) in lavish gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer.

In return, police say Mr Netanyahu operated on Mr Milchan’s behalf on US visa matters, legislated a tax break and connected him with an Indian businessman.

In the other case, he is accused of offering a newspaper publisher legislation that would weaken his paper’s main rival, in return for more favourable coverage.

Mr Netanyahu was reportedly recorded asking Arnon Mozes, the publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth, for positive coverage in exchange for helping to weaken Israel Hayom, a free pro-Netanyahu newspaper that had cut into Yedioth’s business.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has dismissed the accusations as a witch-hunt orchestrated by a hostile media.