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Israeli Prosecution to Question Netanyahu Again in 'Case 1000'

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a news conference at his office in Jerusalem August 27, 2014. Photo: REUTERS
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a news conference at his office in Jerusalem August 27, 2014. Photo: REUTERS
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Israeli Prosecution to Question Netanyahu Again in 'Case 1000'

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a news conference at his office in Jerusalem August 27, 2014. Photo: REUTERS
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a news conference at his office in Jerusalem August 27, 2014. Photo: REUTERS

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is expected to be questioned by police again on June 12, Channel 10 News reported on Friday evening.

According to the report, Netanyahu is expected to be questioned three or four more times in Case 1000, Case 2000 and Case 4000.

Case 1000 revolves around claims Netanyahu received gifts from a Hollywood billionaire and Australian businessman in exchange for political favor. Case 2000 revolves around allegations Netanyahu tried to reach an agreement with Yediot Aharonot publisher Arnon Mozes that would provide him with positive news coverage in exchange for shuttering rival newspaper Israel Hayom. Case 4000 centers on suspicions that a Netanyahu aide provided chief Bezeq shareholder Shaul Elovitch with regulatory benefits in exchange for sympathetic coverage to the prime minister and his wife on the Walla! news website, which is owned by Elovitch as well.

According to Friday’s report, state witness Nir Hefetz told police investigators that during a trip to Manhattan, the wife of Prime Minister Sarah Netanyahu received credit cards with which bought gifts for herself.

Specifically in Case 4000, reports revealed that Hefetz testified to the police that he “spoke to Elovitch six to seven times a day” when he served as Netanyahu’s adviser.

Moreover, Hefetz related that during a visit to Manhattan by the Netanyahu family, wealthy Jews gave Sara Netanyahu credit cards with which to buy herself gifts.

A statement released on behalf of the prime minister said: “These are total lies regarding the Netanyahu-Elovitch relations. The false and malicious claim that the prime minister and his wife used friends’ credit cards is also false. This never happened.”

Hefez turned state’s evidence and gave police text messages and recordings. These allegedly suggest an improper quid pro quo relationship between the Netanyahus and Elovitch, whose Bezeq corporation owns the Walla news website.

According to Channel 10 News, one of the text messages was sent by Sara Netanyahu to Elovitch’s wife a day after the prime minister had approved the merger deal between the satellite television company Yes and Bezeq, which benefitted the giant telecommunication corporation. Sara Netanyahu allegedly expressed resentment over the Walla site’s coverage of the couple, despite the prime minister’s approval of the deal. Last Friday Haaretz reported that, in one of the recordings, Elovitch said: “I understand he was willing to commit suicide for me,” in describing the governmental assistance Bezeq received from Netanyahu, although Elovitch denies that he was referring to the prime minister.

Israeli officials said the prosecution saw a significant link between the cases 2000 and 4000, yet the police have not yet made their recommendations yet.

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Israel Warns of ‘Prolonged’ War Against Iran

This picture shows the heavily damaged building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after it was hit a few days earlier in an Israeli strike, in Tehran, on June 19, 2025. (AFP)
This picture shows the heavily damaged building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after it was hit a few days earlier in an Israeli strike, in Tehran, on June 19, 2025. (AFP)
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Israel Warns of ‘Prolonged’ War Against Iran

This picture shows the heavily damaged building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after it was hit a few days earlier in an Israeli strike, in Tehran, on June 19, 2025. (AFP)
This picture shows the heavily damaged building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) after it was hit a few days earlier in an Israeli strike, in Tehran, on June 19, 2025. (AFP)

Israel's war against Iran, now in its second week, will be "prolonged", military chief Eyal Zamir said Friday as the arch rivals traded fire and European powers held talks with the country.

"We must be ready for a prolonged campaign," Zamir told Israelis in a video statement, eight days after his country launched a massive wave of strikes it said aimed at stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons -- an ambition Tehran has denied.

"We have embarked on the most complex campaign in our history to remove a threat of such magnitude," said Zamir.

"The campaign is not over. Although we have made significant achievements, difficult days still lie ahead."

Iran has responded with barrages of missiles and drones, which Israeli authorities say have killed at least 25 people.

A hospital in the Israeli port of Haifa reported 19 injured, including one person in serious condition, after the latest Iranian salvo, which President Isaac Herzog said hit a mosque.

Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people since June 13, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.

As US President Donald Trump mulls the prospect of entering the war between the two foes, top diplomats from Britain, France and Germany were meeting with their Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Friday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the Europeans were "putting a diplomatic solution on the table".

On the ground, Israel's military said it struck missile launchers in southwestern Iran after overnight air raids on dozens of targets including what it called a "nuclear weapons project" research and development center.

In Israel, sirens sounded in the afternoon after missiles were launched from Iran for the second time on Friday, with a military official saying that "approximately 20 missiles were launched towards Israel".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted military sites and air forces bases.

- 'Betrayal' of diplomacy -

Trump has said he will decide "within the next two weeks" whether to involve the United States in the fighting.

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy said "a window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution", while agreeing with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon".

Western governments suspect Iran of seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said that while Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons to enrich uranium to 60 percent, there was no evidence it had all the components to make a functioning nuclear warhead.

"So, saying how long it would take for them, it would be pure speculation because we do not know whether there was somebody... secretly pursuing these activities," the agency's chief Rafael Grossi told CNN.

"We haven't seen that and we have to say it."

France's foreign ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said that "military solutions are not long-term solutions" to ensure Iran respects its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, Araghchi said Israel's attacks were a "betrayal" of diplomatic efforts to reach a nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington.

"We were attacked in the midst of an ongoing diplomatic process," he said.

In an interview with German publication Bild, Israel's top diplomat Gideon Saar said he did not "particularly" believe in diplomacy with Iran.

"All diplomatic efforts so far have failed," said Saar, whose country had supported Trump's 2018 decision to abandon a previous nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers.

- 'Madness' -

The UN Security Council convened on Friday for a second session on the conflict, which was requested by Iran with support from Russia, China and Pakistan, a diplomat told AFP on Wednesday.

The escalating confrontation is quickly reaching "the point of no return", Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Friday, saying "this madness must end as soon as possible".

UN chief Antonio Guterres meanwhile pleaded with all sides to "give peace a chance".

Any US involvement in Israel's campaign would be expected to involve the bombing of an underground uranium enrichment facility in Fordo, using powerful bunker-busting bombs that no other country possesses.

In Iran, people fleeing Israel's attacks described frightening scenes and difficult living conditions, including food shortages.

Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities had restricted internet access to avoid "problems" like cyberattacks.

Iranian authorities have arrested a European "who sought to spy on sensitive areas of the country", Tasnim news agency reported on Friday.

Protests were held in Tehran and other cities after Friday prayers, with demonstrators chanting slogans in support of their leaders, state television showed.

"I will sacrifice my life for my leader," read a protester's banner, a reference to supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Switzerland announced it was temporarily closing its embassy in Tehran, adding that it would continue to fulfil its role representing US interests in Iran.