Lawyer for Bezeq owner says he'll stop advising Netanyahu

With opening of Case 4000, Jack Chen, who aided PM in earlier corruption probes, remains with long-term client Shaul Elovitch

A lawyer for Bezeq controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch who has also advised Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that in light of new revelations involving suspected corruption by both clients, he will no longer serve on the prime minister’s legal team.

The investigation, dubbed Case 4000, involves the Bezeq group and close associates of Netanyahu, who is also said to be a suspect.

Attorney Jack Chen said that even though there is no legal reason he cannot continue to advise the prime minister, he has decided to step aside, at least until matters have become more clear.

“Since an investigation into Case 4000 was opened yesterday, and I have represented Shaul [Elovitch] for a long time, despite the fact that there is no legal impediment or conflict of interest, I will not advise the prime minister anymore,” he said.

Shaul Elovitch, Bezeq’s controlling shareholder (Calcalist screenshot)

According to law enforcement sources, in Case 4000, Netanyahu is suspected of furthering a deal under which Elovitch, owner of the Walla news site and the controlling shareholder of the Bezeq communications company, swayed Walla’s coverage of Netanyahu and his family, in exchange for the Communications Ministry enacting policies potentially worth hundreds of millions of shekels for Elovitch.

According to his law firm’s website, Chen “is a former member of the State Attorney’s Office, where he served for years as senior deputy to the state attorney, specializing in financial offenses.”

Chen clarified that he had advised Netanyahu on two earlier cases in which the prime minister is suspected of taking bribes, and had no idea about Case 4000.

“A few months ago, I agreed to the prime minister’s request when he asked me to assist him in advising him on the investigation in cases 1000 and 2000, which are the only ones in which he has been questioned,” Chen said. “At the time, the attorney general clarified that the prime minister was not a suspect in Case 3000, and Case 4000… was not even thought about.”

In Case 1000, Netanyahu and his wife are alleged to have received illicit gifts from billionaire benefactors, most notably the Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, totaling NIS 1 million ($282,000). In return, Netanyahu is alleged by police to have intervened on Milchan’s behalf in matters relating to legislation, business dealings, and visa arrangements.

Case 2000 involves a suspected illicit quid-pro-quo deal between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes that would have seen the prime minister weaken a rival daily, the Sheldon Adelson-backed Israel Hayom, in return for more favorable coverage from Yedioth.

Police submitted their recommendations to the public prosecution in both cases last week, saying they had collected evidence of bribes taken by Netanyahu.

The prime minister has also been linked indirectly to Case 3000, a large investigation into suspected corruption surrounding the multi-billion shekel purchase of naval vessels and submarines from a German shipbuilder. While Netanyahu has not been named as a suspect, close associates of his, including two personal aides, have been arrested or questioned.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing in the various cases.