Police Question Israel's Netanyahus in Corruption Investigation

(Bloomberg) -- Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a broad corruption investigation, just days ahead of a key visit to Washington for talks with Donald Trump.

Israeli media reported that Netanyahu and his wife Sara were simultaneously interrogated on Friday over so-called Case 4000, in which government officials are alleged to have traded regulatory benefits for leading telecommunications firm Bezeq in return for positive media coverage of the country’s first family. Police spokesman Eran Yehuda said the two had been questioned but he didn’t say in which of the cases facing the premier.

While Netanyahu has not yet been identified as a suspect in the Bezeq probe, police have recommended he be charged in two other cases of alleged influence peddling, prompting opposition calls for him to resign. It’s now up to the attorney general to decide whether the prime minister should stand trial.

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in all investigations into his affairs and those of his associates. He says he is the victim of a witch hunt, sharing common ground with Trump, who has denounced the inquiry into his presidential campaign’s ties to Russia as a sham.

The two men will meet next week as Netanyahu seeks further support for one of his cornerstone foreign-policy aims -- curbing Iranian power in the Middle East.

To contact the reporter on this story: Yaacov Benmeleh in Tel Aviv at ybenmeleh@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Stefania Bianchi at sbianchi10@bloomberg.net, Mark Williams, Caroline Alexander

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