Police recommendations in PM’s probes may be delayed

Netanyahu: Investigators believe I acted against them, what does it say about their recommendations?

By UDI SHAHAM
Updated: FEBRUARY 11, 2018 00:31
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a weekly cabinet meeting on February 4, 2018. (photo credit: EMIL SALMAN/POOL)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a weekly cabinet meeting on February 4, 2018.
(photo credit: EMIL SALMAN/POOL)
Police recommendations on whether to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in two corruption investigations may be delayed for a week.
The recommendation had been expected to be forward to the State Attorney’s Office on Monday or Tuesday.
Police are reportedly still considering the recommendations in Case 2000 (the “Yediot Aharonot affair”). It was previously said that police were leaning toward forwarding the findings from the investigation to the state prosecution with no recommendation on whether to indict the prime minister or not.
However, there is now reportedly unanimity among the top command of the police regarding the recommendations in this case, and that further meetings on the matter are expected this week.
In Case 1000 (the “expensive gifts affair”), the team investigating Netanyahu is expected to recommend to indict the prime minister for accepting bribes, fraud, and breach of trust.
On Friday, Netanyahu again cast doubts on the integrity of the investigation, following Police Commissioner Insp.-Gen. Roni Alsheich public statement last week that “powerful figures” hired “private investigators who have been collecting information against police officers involved in ongoing investigations into the prime minister.”
In a Facebook post – a fourth one within three days – the prime minister disparaged the ability of the investigators to be fair when they believe he sent private investigators after them.
”When investigators believe such false and outlandish allegations that the prime minister has acted against them personally and sent investigators [to check on them], how can they investigate him and make recommendations against him objectively?” he wrote.
“We now learn that the investigators themselves believed the conspiracy theories... That the prime minister sent private investigators against them,” he added.
“It is up to you to judge: What does that say about the credibility of the investigations, and about the nature of the recommendations?”