An ex-aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed a statewitness deal in a corruption probe linked to his former boss, Israeli mediareported Monday, dealing a new setback to the premier.
News of the agreement broke ahead of Netanyahu’s meeting with US PresidentDonald Trump at the White House later Monday.
The widely reported agreement between Israeli authorities and Nir Hefetz, aformer spokesman for the Netanyahu family, comes as corruptioninvestigations into the prime minister intensify.
Israeli police provided no details on the reported agreement. Hefetz wouldbe the third Netanyahu associate to sign a state witness deal in recentmonths.
An aide to Netanyahu immediately denounced the reports and proclaimed thelong-serving prime minister’s innocence.
“When there’s something there, it doesn’t take even one state witness,” theaide said.
“And now, even a thousand state witnesses will not help.”
On Sunday, an Israeli court released Hefetz and telecoms mogul ShaulElovitch to house arrest after 14 days in custody.
Hefetz is alleged to have acted as a messenger between Netanyahu,Elovitch’s telecoms group Bezeq and news website Walla!, media reports say.
Police suspect Bezeq was given regulatory breaks in return for Netanyahureceiving positive coverage on Walla!, a news website owned by the telecomsgroup.
Hefetz is also suspected of trying to bribe a retired judge to block aprobe into the prime minister’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, over alleged misuseof public funds, according to the reports. – APP/ AFP