Former adviser to police chief: Information in PM's investigation to cause 'earthquake'
Lior Horev, Police Commissioner Alsheikh's former political adviser, reportedly says police recommendations on Netanyahu's investigations to be submitted in 2-3 weeks, and include 'new information that would cause a political earthquake'; police reject claims as 'disinformation.'
Netanyahu is suspected of corruption in two cases: Case 1000, an investigation into illicit gifts he and his family allegedly received from wealthy benefactors; and Case 2000, an investigation into conversations the prime minister had with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes in an effort to secure more favorable coverage in return for weakening Yedioth's rival, the daily Israel Hayom.
According to a report on Monday on Israel Radio, Horev, who resigned from his position as the commissioner's adviser after making comments against Netanyahu, also said at a conference this past weekend that police recommendations against the prime minister will be submitted to the State Attorney's Office in two to three weeks.
Horev further asserted that by May, Israel would go to elections again, with the Likud Party being led by "a new leadership."
A police spokeswoman slammed Horev's comments, saying, "The police have been accused more than once of 'leaking' done by different 'officials,' when there is no connection between reality and the report."
The police spokeswoman went on to say that "No outside adviser is exposed or has been exposed to investigation materials, certainly not in a matter even the top brass of the Israel Police are not exposed to.
"In such sensitive matters, the Israel Police releases information to the public via official statements, in coordination with the attorney general and the State Attorney's Office, while maintaining a balance between the needs of the investigation, the rights of the person under investigation, and the public's right to know."
"We ask the public to focus solely on official information released from time to time by the police spokesperson," the police further said. "The great majority of the information being reported falls under the definition of disinformation—partly intentional and done by interest groups and partly superficial in an attempt to fill in information gaps with no distinction made between facts and assessments."
Horev responded to the police, saying "the information about the date police are set to file their recommendations concerning Mr. Netanyahu has been reported in all of the newspapers over the past four weeks, for the simple reason that the police said it wanted commander Meni Yitzhaki to be the one to sign the recommendations, and he is retiring at the end of this month."
