A-G: No need for a pre-investigation meeting with Sara Netanyahu

Affair refers to a list of sub-affairs with sensational names like Bottlegate, Furniture Gate and Electrician Gate alleging that state funds were illegally misused for the personal gain.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu (photo credit: AVI OHAYON - GPO)
Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu
(photo credit: AVI OHAYON - GPO)
Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein on Tuesday clarified that there was no need for an official in-person meeting with Sara Netanyahu's lawyer Jacob Weinroth regarding whether he will order a criminal investigation of the Prime Minister's wife as part of the ongoing investigation into the Prime Minister's Residence Affair.
The affair refers to a list of sub-affairs with sensational names like Bottlegate, Furniture Gate and Electrician Gate in which it is alleged that state funds were illegally misused for the personal gain of the Netanyahu family.
Until now, the main suspect has appeared to be one of the top deputies in the Prime Minister's Office, Ezra Seidoff, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself has been clearly exempted from any suspicion.
It has been unclear whether Sara Netanyahu would be criminally investigated or merely called as a fact-witness and Weinroth made a stir late Monday night and Tuesday, telling various media outlets that Weinstein had refused to meet with him to hear his arguments for why no criminal investigation should be opened against Sara Netanyahu.
In his response, Weinstein clarified that he was happy to receive written arguments from Weinroth as had already been received, and had met with Weinroth about a personal issue three weeks ago, but that there was no need or requirement for an in-person meeting about whether to initiate a criminal investigation.
In contrast, Weinstein might grant a pre-indictment hearing if he gets to the much later point where he is considering actually indicting Sara Netanyahu - still considered doubtful by most observers.