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Investigators Return to Question Netanyahu About Alleged Receipt of Gifts

by Reuters

   JERUSALEM --

   Israeli police officers on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Benjamin
   Netanyahu under caution for a second time this week on suspicion of
   taking gifts from businessmen in breach of his role as a public
   servant.

   Police said the session, which lasted some five hours, was held at
   Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem. A first interrogation that
   took place on Monday lasted three hours.

   In questioning a suspect under caution, police believe that the person
   they are interviewing has a case to answer.

   "The investigation under caution of [Netanyahu's] alleged receipt of
   benefits continued today and involved questioning about another affair
   ... due to a fear of disrupting the investigation, no further details
   can be revealed at the moment," a police statement said.

   Additional suspect questioned

   It added that during the past two days, an additional suspect, who was
   not named, was also questioned.

   Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has told his
   political rivals not to expect his imminent downfall.

   "Wait with the celebrations, don't rush," Netanyahu told lawmakers in
   parliament earlier this week before questioning began. "I've said it
   before and I'll say it once again: There will be nothing because there
   is nothing."

   Attorney General called for investigation

   The move to interview the Israeli leader was authorized by Attorney
   General Avichai Mandelblit, who decided after a preliminary inquiry
   that there was enough evidence to open a criminal investigation. He has
   not detailed the suspicions.

   "The nature of the investigation precludes us at this stage from giving
   details of the ongoing investigation, but we will consider releasing
   more information from time to time according to developments,"
   Mandelblit said in a statement on Monday.

   Not Natanyahu's first scandal

   The left-wing Haaretz newspaper and other news outlets have said the
   probe relates to gifts worth "hundreds of thousands of shekels"
   ($1=3.85 shekels) given to Netanyahu by an Israeli and a foreign
   businessmen.

   Channel 2, a commercial network, said the investigation was one of two
   cases now open against the prime minister, although it said details of
   the second remained unclear.

   Netanyahu, 67, has been in power on and off since 1996. He is currently
   in his fourth term as prime minister and will become Israel's
   longest-serving leader if he stays in office until the end of next
   year.

   He and his wife, Sara, have weathered several scandals over the years,
   including investigations into the misuse of state funds and an audit of
   the family's spending on everything from laundry to ice cream. They
   have denied any wrongdoing.

   Former PM Olmert in prison

   Netanyahu is not the first prime minister to be questioned in a
   criminal case and Israeli commentators have pointed out that although
   he is being questioned, as has happened many times before, prime
   ministers have continued to stay in their post, sometimes for years.

   Ehud Olmert, who held office from 2006 to 2009, is currently serving 18
   months in prison after being convicted of breach of trust and bribery
   in 2014.

   Another former prime minister, the late Ariel Sharon, was questioned
   while in office in 2003 and 2004 over allegations of bribery and
   corruption involving him and his two sons. In 2006, his son Omri was
   convicted of corruption and served time in prison.