Jerusalem – Israel’s government watchdog said Thursday he is opening an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign and travel spending, sparking the first major scandal in the leader’s two years in office.
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The state comptroller’s investigation follows a Channel 10 TV report this week that said Netanyahu took expensive flights, hotels and restaurant meals paid for by wealthy associates during the 10-year period between his first and second terms as prime minister.
Netanyahu was a private citizen for part of that time, but he also held a series of senior government posts, including finance minister. The report raised questions about whether the donors were trying to gain influence with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu did not immediately respond to the comptroller’s announcement. Earlier, he said the Channel 10 accusations were libelous, recycled and false and he has filed a libel suit against the channel.
Shlomo Raz, a spokesman for the state comptroller, said the office would look into possible conflicts of interest arising from private contributions to Netanyahu’s primary election campaigns and funding of lavish travel expenses for Netanyahu and his family.
Channel 10 said it based its report on what it said was the premier’s address book, pages of which it showed in the report, and other personal documents.
The investigation does not pose any imminent danger to Netanyahu. Israel’s comptroller only has the power to recommend action, and his inquiry marks a preliminary stage. But if it concludes there was wrongdoing, the matter could be turned over to police and prosecutors.
Israel’s main opposition party, Kadima, has demanded that Netanyahu be investigated over the allegations, asking the attorney general to look into criminal and ethical violations listed in the Channel 10 TV report.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu filed $300,000 libel suits against Channel 10 and the Maariv daily for their reports.
He said Channel 10 falsely alleged that he failed to report contributions by foreign donors to the state comptroller. He also claimed that Maariv erroneously created the impression that Netanyahu and his wife paid $17,000 for a meal abroad, part of a pattern of extravagant behavior.
During and shortly after his first term as Israel’s prime minister from 1996-1999, Netanyahu weathered several potential scandals and was never indicted.
No country in the world puts their leaders through all these kind of unnecessary ridiculous investigations, that lead to nowhere..
These idiots have been investigating Olmert and Lieberman for the past (at least) 5 years and still don’t have anything on them.
The former president of Israel was convicted of rape based on heresay and questionable proof, at best. In any other Western country the case would have been thrown out of court.
Israel has far bigger fish to fry than these phony character assassinations, she is surrounded by enemies that wish her great ill will, to say the least.
Israel is already considered a pariah state around most of the world, no need to further shoot herself in the foot.
The enemies of Israel won’t need to destroy her, they’re disintegrating by themselves, from WITHIN.