Senior minister, former news site editor testify in PM graft probe

A senior Likud minister and the former editor of Israel’s largest news website both gave testimony to police on Thursday over alleged illicit negotiations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and media mogul Noni Mozes.

Environment Minister Ze’ev Elkin and Eran Tiefenbrunn, who served as Ynet’s editor-in-chief, faced police investigators at the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit in the latest round of questioning over recordings, made secretly, of conversations between Netanyahu and Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Mozes in 2014.

The conversations allegedly focused on a quid pro quo deal between Netanyahu and Mozes in which the prime minister reportedly promised to advance legislation that would reduce the circulation of the pro-Netanyahu Israel Hayom daily in exchange for friendlier coverage from Mozes’s Yedioth.

Elkin, who is considered a close ally of the prime minister and served at the time as coalition chairman, was likely summoned to testify on whether he received instructions from Netanyahu to advance the so-called “Israel Hayom Bill” which would have outlawed large-scale distribution of a freebie newspaper, effectively curbing Israel Hayom’s distribution by forcing it to charge customers for copies.

Last week, Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, who headed the Knesset House Committee during the same period, gave testimony to police as part of the same investigation.

The questioning of Tiefenbrunn, who headed Ynet from 2013 to 2015, comes after Yedioth Ahronoth editor Ron Yaron also gave a statement to police earlier this week.

Mozes has himself been questioned at least four times in the past two weeks.

Police would neither confirm nor deny the questioning of either Elkin or Tiefenbrunn but told The Times of Israel that their policy was to release statements when public figures are questioned under caution, suggesting the two were testifying as witnesses, not suspects.

Police are thought to be questioning everyone mentioned in the recordings or connected to the Israel Hayom legislation. On Wednesday, journalist Avi Ratzon, reportedly mentioned by Netanyahu during the conversations as a possible columnist who’d be sympathetic to him, was also questioned.

On Tuesday, Israel Hayom editor Amos Regev provided testimony at the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit.

Israel Hayom, which was launched in 2007 and has become Israel’s most highly circulated daily, has been a firm voice of support for the prime minister. It is owned by the Jewish-American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, a staunch Netanyahu supporter.

On Monday, Channel 10 reported that Adelson is expected to give testimony in the coming days. Investigators are expected to ask Adelson whether he was aware of the alleged deal the prime minister discussed with Mozes, according to Channel 10.

Sources close to Netanyahu have alleged that he recorded the conversations because he feared Mozes was trying or would try to extort him.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, in a speech Monday, said police had collected considerable evidence abroad in recent months in a second investigation, which concerns alleged illicit benefits received for years by Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, from various businessmen.

The second investigation is probing claims that the premier and his wife received thousands of shekels’ worth of luxury gifts from businessmen, including the Israeli Hollywood-based film producer Arnon Milchan.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu’s son Yair gave testimony to police in that investigation, answering allegations that the younger Netanyahu stayed in hotel rooms paid for by Australian billion James Packer.