Netanyahu accused of using Likud party resources to promote new book

Printouts were attached to the complaint that indicated the use of the party's platforms for advertising a private book published by Netanyahu.

 Leader of the Opposition and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the media  in Tel Aviv on October 3, 2022.  (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)
Leader of the Opposition and head of the Likud party Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the media in Tel Aviv on October 3, 2022.
(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu was accused of using Likud party platforms to promote his recently published book on Wednesday, in a letter written by  Likud comptroller, lawyer Shai Galili.

"I have received a complaint according to which, within the framework of your powers as the chairman of the party, you misused and allocated the party's resources for personal needs in an improper manner, and this by way of publishing your new book on the party's social networks," Galili's letter said.

"I have received a complaint according to which, within the framework of your powers as the chairman of the party, you misused and allocated the party's resources for personal needs in an improper manner, and this by way of publishing your new book on the party's social networks."

Likud comptroller, Galili Shai

Galili clarified in his letter that the information came to him from a "left-wing supporter," as he defined it.

"It will be clarified that, although it is a complaint filed on behalf of a person identified with the "left-wing camp" - whose political views the right-wing people dislike, still, when this type of information arrived to my knowledge, along with alleged evidence, it is my duty to discuss the complaint, in order to protect the interests of the party and to apply the rules of proper administration in terms of its conduct."

A breach of trust by a party official?

Galili explained that when a party official (who holds executive powers) uses his power and/or the party's property and/or its resources for the sake of personal needs and not out of consideration for the good of the party, it may amount to a "breach of trust by a party official."

Printouts were attached to the complaint that allegedly indicated the use of the party's platforms (the party's property) for the purpose of advertising a private book published by Netanyahu on his behalf.

Galili said he "would like to receive Netanyahu's response and explanation to what was described in this matter, before I am to write the audit findings while I examined the aformentioned complaint."

Galili asked Netanyahu to reply to him on this matter as soon as possible. He also emphasized that he received permission from the District Court in Tel Aviv to discuss this matter and to visit if necessary, as he mentioned in the letter.