Police question Benjamin Netanyahu in telecom case for second time

Benjamin NetanyahuIsraeli police were questioning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today as part of an investigation into a corruption case involving the countrys telecom giant one of a slew of scandals that have engulfed the longruling Israeli leader Two Netanyahu confidants were arrested on suspicion of promoting regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israels Bezeq telecom company in return for Bezeqs popular news site Walla allegedly providing favorable coverage of Netanyahu and his familyIts the second time that Netanyahu who held the communications portfolio until last year is being questioned over the affair Police declined to comment directly but in a statement said different interrogations were underway in connection to the casePolice were seen arriving to Netanyahus residence Monday morning Israeli Channel 2 TV reported that Netanyahus wife Sara and son Yair are also being questioned at another locationIsraels Yediot Aharonot daily reported that police will question Netanyahu over allegations made by longtime family spokesman Nir Hefetz one of the confidants arrested and later released Hefetz has turned states witness reportedly in exchange for full immunityThe Haaretz newspaper said he will deliver recordings of the prime minister and his wife as part of the agreement The second confidant Shlomo Filber has also turned states witness in the case Israeli police have already recommended indicting Netanyahu for bribery fraud and breach of trust in two separate casesNetanyahu is suspected of accepting lavish gifts from billionaire friends and promising to promote legislation to help a major Israeli newspaper against its free rival in exchange for favorable coverage Longtime aide Ari Harow is a state witness in one of those casesIsraels attorney general is now reviewing the police recommendations a process that could take months and will decide whether to indict Netanyahu on the charges Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing dismissing the accusations as a witch hunt orchestrated by hostile media and an overaggressive police forceThe graft scandals have come as Israels coalition recently averted a crisis that could have led to early elections Israels opposition accused Netanyahu of manufacturing the crisis in order to force a new election Early polls would have shifted attention away from his legal problems and a win would have shored up his position ahead of a possible indictmentCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever