Search

‘Imaginary!’ Netanyahu blasts police accusations in Case 4000

On Sunday, PM Netanyahu went on the offensive against the police recommendations that he be charged with bribery.

By World Israel News Staff

“How is it possible that they timed the publication of the imaginary recommendations against me and against Sara on exactly the last day of the police commissioner? It’s a true Chanukah miracle,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday in reaction to the police recommendations against him in Case 4000, Israel Hayom reports.

Netanyahu, speaking at a Chanukah lighting ceremony for Likud members in Tel Aviv, referred to the fact that Sunday was Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich’s last day in office.

Sunday was also the day the police released their long expected recommendations on whether to charge Netanyahu in what has become known as Case 4000 or the “Bezeq-Walla Affair,” in which Netanyahu received favorable news coverage on a website owned by telecommunications provider Bezeq in exchange for regulatory favors to the telecom giant.

The prime minister launched into a biting attack against the police’s conclusions and Commissioner Alsheich.

“I wasn’t surprised by the suggestions published today,” Netanyahu said. “I wasn’t surprised that they were published precisely today. Already before the first investigation over a year ago, they already had set and leaked that these would be the conclusions. So what’s new?

Read  Netanyahu aide suspected of leaking classified information to sabotage hostage deal

“I think that the fact that the recommendations were published today, the last day of the police commissioner’s tenure, proves what I’ve been saying from the first day — this is a fixed game from the start,” he said.

Netanyahu added: “After a flood of purposeful leaks from the investigation, after daily brainwashing in the media, the time has come to say some truthful remarks, things that everyone feels in their gut that something isn’t right.

“It’s impossible to expect a different result — when the heads of the investigation with unusual arrogance state that I’m sending private investigators against police investigators — that my wife Sara — listen to this – sent female officer C to complain about sexual harassment against the head of the investigative unit. What hallucinatory statements.

“What hallucinatory statements. How is it possible to conduct a clean investigation when senior heads of the police tell the investigators that I and my wife are sending investigators against them? How is it possible,” Netanyahu said.

Case 4000

After attempting to undermine the credibility of the police investigation and the motives of senior police heads, Netanyahu dealt with the specific accusations in Case 4000, saying “I didn’t give [Shaul] Elovitch [owner of Bezeq] anything and I didn’t receive anything from him. The processes were completely proper.

Read  Netanyahu: 'We don't need Hezbollah deal to reclaim the north'

“The consolidation between Bezeq and Yes were approved as required in a documented and orderly process that took years. It was approved by all the professional bodies, that oversee business regulations, the head of the communications office and the council for cable and satellites. Everyone was in the shady business deal? Clearly not. No one was in the shady deal because there wasn’t any,” Netanyahu said.

“Ask yourselves – what special thing did Elovitch receive from me? Not only didn’t he receive a thing during my period, he and Bezeq only lost massive capital, they say billions.”

Netanyahu then asked: “What did I receive? I received terrible coverage in Walla [Bezeq’s news site], particularly hostile on the eve of the elections. Not only I say this, but others say this after a deep review.”

“What we have here is simply an imaginary thing, there’s no other word for it. This is an unprecedented business in the history of business — no one gave anything and no one received anything.”