Israel’s Netanyahu questioned amid graft allegations

By Anees Barghouti

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was questioned by police -- for the second time in four days -- amid allegations of graft.

According to an Israeli police statement, Netanyahu was questioned for five hours at his Jerusalem residence on Thursday evening "for allegedly receiving gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars from foreign businessmen".

"He was also questioned about another, undisclosed [incident of] corruption," the statement read, adding: "No further details can be given at this stage."

On Monday, Netanyahu was questioned for three hours in regard to the same allegations -- allegations he has repeatedly denied.

Israel’s Channel Two television station reported that police were investigating claims that Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, had accepted gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels -- including expensive cigars and bottles of champagne -- from U.S.-Israeli businessman Arnon Milchan.

The broadcaster quoted people close to Netanyahu as saying the gifts had been given to the PM and his wife "within the context of personal friendship" between them and those who gave them.

"They had no thought of receiving any benefit in return," one of the sources asserted.

In a related development, more than 19,000 Israelis have signed a petition calling for an investigation into Netanyahu’s role in Israel’s recent purchase of a submarine fleet from Germany.

According to Israeli daily the Jerusalem Post, the petition calls for a "clarification" of Netanyahu’s links to French billionaire Arnaud Mimran, and a probe -- already underway -- into the recent purchase of the vessels for the Israel navy.

Netanyahu, who is currently serving his fourth term as prime minister, has held the premiership intermittently since 1996.