Sa’ar asks to see Yair Netanyahu’s police testimony after reported ‘rape’ claim

MK Gideon Sa’ar on Wednesday asked Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit for access to some of Yair Netanyahu’s testimony in a criminal case against his father the prime minister, during which the son reportedly told police that Sa’ar had raped his own secretary and then bought her silence.

An attorney for Sa’ar filed the request, telling Mandelblit the senior Likud lawmaker wanted to clear his name and that the rape accusation was “a fictitious false story about him that never happened,” Channel 12 news reported.

On Tuesday the channel published parts of transcripts from police interrogations of Yair Netanyahu, in which the pugnacious son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the investigations into his family a “disgrace” and claimed police were covering up “Gideon Sa’ar raping his secretary and then getting her a job to silence her.”

Sa’ar is seen as the prime minister’s chief challenger for leadership of Likud. In 2013, rumors swirled that Sa’ar had had a romantic relationship with a subordinate and that he had taken advantage of her through abuse of his position. This stemmed from a letter supposedly penned by the employee. However, the woman later denied writing it and said the claims were spurious. A police investigation into possible harassment by Sa’ar was closed.

The prime minister is currently facing possible indictment in three criminal cases, and Yair, 28, and his mother Sara were initially considered suspects and were questioned under caution, though prosecutors ultimately decided to close their case files.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, also of Likud, told Army Radio on Wednesday that there should be an investigation as to how transcripts — including from the interrogation of Yair Netanyahu — are being leaked.

“Yair is not a public figure, and my opinion on what he said is irrelevant,” Erdan said Wednesday. “What is relevant is how the transcripts are getting out to the media. I asked Mandelblit to open an investigation into the leaks.”

Erdan also expressed support of Justice Minister Amir Ohana, who the day before launched a scathing attack on state prosecutors, accusing them of engaging in the blind persecution of public officials they feel threaten their standing.

Ohana, also of the Likud party, was responding to the investigations into Netanyahu, as well as a new probe this week into possible harassment of a state’s witness by aides to the premier. During a press conference he alluded to a so-called deep-state element within the system, claiming the prosecution was “turning itself into a political player” and setting its agenda according to political developments.

“The prosecution has made a lot of mistakes in the last few decades, and nothing will happen if they answer to their ministers,” Erdan told Army Radio. “There are those in the prosecution who refuse to hear criticism. It is our right and even our duty to ask the questions in the name of the public, and it is their duty to answer the questions.”

Responding Tuesday to Ohana’s accusations, Mandelblit and State Attorney Shai Nitzan said in a joint statement they “regret” his comments and that “the law enforcement system will not be dragged into the political sphere.”

The transcripts quoted by Channel 12 came from the questioning of Yair Netanyahu in Case 4000, in which the prime minister is suspected of advancing regulatory decisions benefiting Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder in telecom giant Bezeq, in exchange for positive coverage from the Elovitch-owned Walla news site.

The prime minister’s older son is known for his combative, blunt and unrestrained style. He is a vocal right-wing activist on social media, and has in the past defended his father and repeatedly ignited controversies with inflammatory statements online.

Benjamin Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000, as well as additional fraud and breach of trust charges in two other criminal investigations.

The prime minister denies the allegations and claims to be the victim of a witch hunt on the part of the opposition, the media, the police and state prosecutors.