BICOM

Three close associates of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau have been arrested in connection with “Case 4000,” an investigation into corruption and bribery at the Communications Ministry involving the telecommunications company Bezeq and the news website Walla.

Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of Bezeq and owner of Walla, was arrested and held for five days, along with the Netanyahu family’s media adviser Nir Hefetz and Shlomo Filber, who was appointed as Communications Ministry Director General by the Prime Minister.

Elovitch released a statement yesterday which “categorically denies the suspicions against him,” urging people “not to rush to conclusions”.

Netanyahu, who was Communications Minister at the time, released a statement claiming that “the media put tremendous pressure” on the police to bring further investigations against him. “The media witch hunt continues with all its might,” he added.

Elovitch’s wife Iris, son Or and close associate Amikam Shorer were also arrested, along with Bezeq CEO Stella Handler. Israeli police published the names of those arrested yesterday.

Elovitch and other senior Bezeq officials are accused of placing Walla at the disposal of the Prime Minister, allowing Hefetz to censor material and influence appointments at the news agency, in exchange for Bezeq illegally receiving hundreds of millions of shekels in benefits from the Government.

Senior workers at Walla have claimed they were under pressure to give positive coverage to Netanyahu, including former editor Yinon Magal. Magal, who left Walla in 2014 to run for the Knesset, told Army Radio: “There was intense pressure exerted from the top to direct coverage in the Netanyahus’ favour”.

The Jerusalem Post has reported that the Prime Minister and his wife Sara will both be called in for questioning by the police about the affair.

Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid called upon Netanyahu to “appoint a temporary Prime Minister in his stead”. “Israel deserves a full-time Prime Minister who is not engaged in anything else… If he doesn’t want to resign, let him declare himself incapacitated,” said Lapid.

Zionist Union Chairman Avi Gabbay also joined in the criticism of the Prime Minister. Gabbay said that Netanyahu “has become a liability for the citizens of Israel,” adding that “every day that he stays in office is damage to the country”.

Last week, the police announced that there was sufficient evidence to charge Netanyahu for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in two cases against him. Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit will now decide whether to indict the Prime Minister as a result of their recommendations.