Netanyahu shredded documents before Bennett took office - report

The illegal destruction of the documents was performed at the instruction of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to clerks in the office.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU is keenly aware of history and attuned to his place in it. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU is keenly aware of history and attuned to his place in it.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Documents kept in the Prime Minister's safe were shredded Sunday, just before Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took office, Haaretz reported Thursday.
The illegal destruction of the documents was performed at the instruction of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, clerks in the office told Haaretz.
The documents destroyed were those kept in "the aquarium," an area where schedules of office officials, materials pertaining to daily work and other documents are stored. It is unclear what documents were destroyed at this point.
Officials responded on behalf of Netanyahu, telling Haaretz that the report of the incident is "a complete lie. It never occurred."
The Prime Minister's office responded to Haaretz saying, "The topic is not familiar to us. Following your questions, we will examine the details."
Netanyahu’s record-breaking 12-year term as prime minister ended on Sunday night when the Knesset voted to approve the new government formed by Bennett and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid.
Netanyahu had declined to take part in the traditional transition ceremony, and the brief meeting took place behind closed doors, with no statement to the press.
Sources close to Bennett have said Netanyahu did not allow any of his staff to hold transition meetings before the new government was officially authorized on Sunday.
MK Gilad Kariv called on the Attorney General to order an examination of the shredding of documents in Netanyahu's office ahead of the inauguration of the new government, and make it clear and official to the opposition chairman and his outgoing staff, that they must pass on all documents in their possession that relate to their former roles. 

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Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.