Senior officials in central Israeli town suspected of taking bribes

Four senior officials in the ultra-Orthodox city of Elad in central Israel were arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of receiving bribes in exchange for tilting public tenders and illegally handing out building permits, police said.

Among the four suspects is an elected public servant, the statement said. Apart from the four arrested suspects, who were taken for questioning under caution, three other officials were taken for questioning.

The four are suspected of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. They allegedly helped contractors win municipality tenders and get building permits more easily in exchange for the payments.

If needed, they will be brought to the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court later in the day to extend their remand.

The investigation is being conducted by the Israel Police’s Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit.