Submarine scandal, mystery case loom
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal woes are far from over, with a new report revealing that he will be questioned over two additional cases, Channel 10 said on Monday.
Alongside cases 1000 and 2000, which are being investigated now, Netanyahu will now contend with two additional cases – 3000 and 4000.
It is still unclear what those two investigations entail, but according to the report it is estimated that Case 3000 deals with the submarine affair, which alleges that Netanyahu’s personal lawyer and cousin was involved in the acquisition of submarines and warships from Germany. It is still unknown what is being investigated in Case 4000.
Meanwhile, police personnel are slamming those close to the prime minister for criticizing the heads of the investigation departments. “In recent days we see... that there is an effort to raise false allegations about senior officers in the investigations department,” said the police statement. “We condemn this pressure, which aims to deter the law enforcement authorities from performing their duties by harming investigators. The police will continue their work with no fear.”
Netanyahu is expected to be questioned again later this week.
Investigators questioned the prime minister under caution several times in January over his alleged involvement in two cases: Case 1000 deals with allegations that Netanyahu received illegal gifts from businessmen – in particular from Rehovot-born international movie mogul Arnon Milchan.
MK David Amsalem (Likud) claimed on Army Radio on Sunday that Milchan might be lying in his statements to the police. “Did anyone force Milchan
to buy anything?” Amsalem asked. “Did Netanyahu put a gun to his head? Who know if Milchan is lying?”
Lawyers representing Milchan filed a lawsuit against Amsalem on Monday regarding the statements. In a letter, Milchan warned the lawmaker that his statements are libelous, and demanded that he take them back in public in the next 48 hours and that he not repeat them again.
Channel 2 reported that Amsalem clarified that he did not make those comments as statements but as questions, “like many other citizens do these days.”
Case 2000 involves taped conversations between Netanyahu and Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon “Noni” Mozes, in which the two men allegedly attempted to negotiate sympathetic coverage of the prime minister in return for the weakening of Yediot competitor Israel Hayom.
Alon Hachmon/ Maariv contributed to this report. •