Police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for three hours under caution at his official residence in Jerusalem on Monday on suspicion of receiving gifts from businessmen in breach of his role as a public servant.
Part of a police statement issued after the questioning ended said that "investigators questioned PM Benjamin Netanyahu under caution on suspicion of receiving benefits." No additional details were initially given.
In questioning a suspect under caution, police investigators believe that the person they are interviewing has a case to answer.
The move to question the Israeli leader was authorised by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who decided after a preliminary inquiry that there was enough evidence to open a criminal investigation.
Mandelblit issued a long statement which did not detail the matters being investigated but said the information warranted questioning under caution.
It also mentioned other suspicions which had been checked but did not yield evidence to warrant additional criminal enquiries.
"The nature of the investigation precludes us at this stage from giving details of the ongoing investigation but we will consider releasing more information from time to time according to developments," Mandelblit's statement said.
He added that investigation began three months ago but new, detailed information had come to light during the past month which supported questioning the prime minister under caution.
Before the questioning began, Netanyahu told his ruling Likud faction in parliament that those anticipating his downfall should not expect his imminent departure.
"Wait with the celebrations, don't rush," Netanyahu said. "I've said it before and I'll say it once again: there will be nothing because there is nothing."
Photographers were camped outside the heavily guarded residence, hoping to get pictures of investigators arriving. Black screens were erected inside the gates of the property to block the view.
Haaretz and other newspapers said the probe related to gifts worth "hundreds of thousands of shekels" ($1=3.85 shekels) given to Netanyahu by Israeli and foreign businessmen.
Channel 2, a commercial network, said the investigation was one of two cases now open against the prime minister, although it said details of the second remained unclear.
Netanyahu, 67, has been in power on and off since 1996. He is currently in his fourth term as prime minister and will become Israel's longest-serving leader if he stays in office until the end of next year.
He and his wife, Sara, have weathered several scandals over the years, including investigations into the misuse of state funds and an audit of the family's spending on everything from laundry to ice cream. They have denied any wrongdoing.
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.
Netanyahu's police appointment drew a barrage of commentary from the centre-left opposition in parliament, with politicians calling for him to go. But Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, said that for the good of the country, he hoped the prime minister would be cleared.
"I wish for him and his family, and the State of Israel, that we uncover that there was no fault in his behaviour. If two prime ministers in a row fall from office because of corruption, it will be very hard to rehabilitate the public's trust in its leadership."
Israeli commentators pointed out that while Netanyahu may be questioned, that has happened many times in the past and prime ministers have gone on governing, sometimes for years.
Reuters
Tue Jan 03 2017
Before the questioning began, Netanyahu told his ruling Likud faction in parliament that those anticipating his downfall should not expect his imminent departure. - REUTERS
Hidup sebagai perempuan selama 27 tahun, rupa-rupanya...
Li Yuan terkejut selepas mendapati terdapat testikel pada abdomennya yang bermaksud secara biologi dia adalah seorang lelaki.
[KOLUMNIS] PRK KKB: Beza realiti dan retorik politik
KEMPEN Pilihan Raya Kecil N.06 Kuala Kubu Baharu (PRK KKB) kini sudah menghampiri penamatnya.
AWANI Pagi: Malaysia Artificial Intelligence (AI) Nexus 2024
Ikuti AWANI Pagi bersama Nursyazwani Saiful Sham & Azib Zikry, langsung dari World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, sempena pelancaran Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Nexus.
Diskusi bersama Prof Dr Azlinda Azman, Ketua Pengarah Pendidikan Tinggi
#AWANInews #AWANIPagi
Diskusi bersama Prof Dr Azlinda Azman, Ketua Pengarah Pendidikan Tinggi
#AWANInews #AWANIPagi
Pelajar 14 tahun maut nahas dua kenderaan
Mangsa mengalami kecederaan parah di kepala dan meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian.
Justin Bieber, isteri umum berita kehamilan
Penyanyi Justin Bieber dan isterinya Hailey Bieber memuat naik berita kehamilan anak pertama mereka di akaun sosial media masing-masing.
Romlee ‘buat muka’ dalam TikTok, raih perhatian netizen
Romlee dipilih sebagai pasangan dalam kandungan video kerana ia sangat unik seperti pandai membuat muka kelakar dan secara automatik.
Kuda terperangkap atas bumbung akibat banjir
Keberadaan kuda yang terperangkap sekurang-kurangnya 24 jam itu menjadi tular apabila imejnya yang berada di atas bumbung itu disebarkan.
AWANI Pagi: Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Nexus
Ikuti AWANI Pagi bersama Nursyazwani Saiful Sham & Azib Zikry, siaran langsung dari World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, sempena pelancaran Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Nexus.
Diskusi bersama Dr. Muhammad Akmal Remli, Pengarah AIBIG, Fakulti Sains Data Dan Komputeran Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) & Prof Dr Amir Akramin Shafie Kulliyyah of Engineering (KOE) Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM).
#AWANInews #AWANIPagi
Diskusi bersama Dr. Muhammad Akmal Remli, Pengarah AIBIG, Fakulti Sains Data Dan Komputeran Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) & Prof Dr Amir Akramin Shafie Kulliyyah of Engineering (KOE) Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM).
#AWANInews #AWANIPagi
Serangan kapal terkait Israel akan dipertingkat - Houthi
Kumpulan Houthi akan menyasarkan kapal mana-mana syarikat pembekal barangan yang berkaitan dengan Israel tanpa mengira destinasi mereka.
AWANI Ringkas: Wanita sukar keluar daripada garis kemiskinan
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
'Kami akan berjuang menggunakan hanya kuku, jika perlu' - Netanyahu
Netanyahu tidak mengendahkan tekanan antarabangsa yang semakin meningkat untuk bersetuju dengan gencatan senjata.
Wanita Israel tuntut pembebasan 130 tebusan di Gaza
Demonstrasi jalanan menentang kerajaan oleh keluarga dan penyokong daripada lebih 130 tebusan yang masih ditahan di Gaza masih diteruskan.
Masyarakat perlu bangkit, beri tekanan kepada Israel - Nurul Izzah
Semua lapisan masyarakat harus bangkit dan memberi tekanan kepada Israel serta sekutunya untuk berhenti melakukan perkara yang menambah kesengsaraan kepada warga Gaza.
Hamas terima cadangan gencatan senjata di Gaza, Israel tidak setuju
Benjamin Netanyahu sifatkan perjanjian gencatan senjata itu tidak memenuhi tuntutan Israel.
Ribuan penunjuk perasaan Israel tentang Netanyahu
Peserta tunjuk perasaan menuduh Netanyahu meneruskan peperangan untuk terus berkuasa.
ICC minta henti ancaman ke atas kakitangannya
ICC meminta sebarang tindakan untuk menakut-nakutkan atau mempengaruhi pegawainya dihentikan segera.
Blinken akan terus desak Netanyahu
Blinken berkata masih banyak lagi yang perlu dilakukan bagi memastikan bantuan sampai kepada orang ramai secara berterusan.
Biden kekal tidak sokong pencerobohan di Rafah
Mesej itu disampaikan menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu pada Ahad.
200 hari menyerang Gaza, Israel rancang serang Rafah yang bakal memburukkan keadaan
Sejak Oktober tahun lepas, tentera Israel telah membunuh 34,183 warga Palestin dan mencederakan lebih 77,000 yang lain.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.