'Bezeq case’ probe transferred from securities authority to police
The case looks into the relations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and businessman Shaul Elovitch, who owns the Walla! News Portal and Bezeq telecommunications company.
By UDI SHAHAMUpdated: FEBRUARY 18, 2018 09:25Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to give a speech in Tel Aviv, Israel February 14, 2018(photo credit: NIR ELIAS / REUTERS)
“Bezeq case,” was transferred from the Israel Securities Authority to the Israel Police, in light of significant developments, Channel 2 News reported on Friday night.The case looks into the relations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and businessman Shaul Elovitch, who owns the Walla! News Portal and Bezeq telecommunications company. Police are expected to start summoning witnesses for questioning at the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit in Lod.Police reportedly suspect Netanyahu acted to benefit Elovitch in return for favorable coverage on Walla.Yinon Magal, who was the editor in chief of Walla in 2013-2014, told Army Radio on Thursday that while he held the position “there were pressures” applied on him to provide favorable coverage for Netanyahu and his wife, Sara.Magal later clarified on Twitter that “pressures were applied not only regarding Netanyahu but from all kinds of political forces.”Magal was subsequently elected a Bayit Yehudi MK in March 2015, and resigned over a sexual harassment scandal later that year.Last week, Haaretz reported that a main witness in the case will be Walla CEO Ilan Yeshua, who carried out pro-Netanyahu coverage on the website.The report said Yeshua told a close associates that he was pressured by Elovitch and his wife, Iris, regarding this issue.
