Israeli PM to be grilled on graft allegations on Friday

By Abdel Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli police will question Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday on corruption suspicions, according to Israeli media.

Investigators will grill Netanyahu on suspicions that he awarded favors to Israel’s telecom company Bezeq Telecom in return for favorable coverage on the company’s news site, according to Israeli Channel Two on Wednesday.

Netanyahu was quizzed by investigators for four hours in August over the same case.

Netanyahu has been the subject of criminal investigations in separate corruption cases. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

In February, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted for alleged corruption, saying there was now sufficient evidence to formally charge him in two separate graft cases.

The first case involves Israeli Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, who was allegedly asked to purchase luxury items for Netanyahu and his wife.

The second relates to an alleged deal -- again for favorable media coverage -- with Arnon Mozes, publisher of Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth.