JERUSALEM (JTA) — A former civil servant and confidant of Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to turn state’s evidence that could incriminate the prime minister in a corruption investigation.
Shlomo Filber, the suspended director general of the Ministry of Communications, agreed in exchange for a lighter sentence to provide police with information about Netanyahu’s part in the so-called Case 4000, which alleges that Shaul Elovitch, majority shareholder of Bezeq, received political favors for the Israeli telecommunications giant in return for favorable coverage of Netanyahu on the Walla! news website owned by the company.
Filber was arrested Sunday along with other company officials and former associates who worked in the Prime Minister’s Office. Under the deal signed late Tuesday, he reportedly will not serve jail time. Filber reportedly arrived Wednesday at the Israel Police’s anti-corruption unit to begin his testimony.
“What has happened over the last two days is simply that the world has gone mad. It’s a scandal,” Netanyahu said in a statement that also was posted on Facebook. “They’ve brought two delusional, false allegations as part of a campaign of persecution against me and my family that has been going on for years already.”
Netanyahu, who was acting communications minister at the time of some of the alleged deals, and his wife, Sara, are expected to be questioned as suspects, according to reports.
Last week,the Israel Police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted on bribery and breach of trust charges in two alleged corruption cases. State prosecutors must now decide whether or not to file indictments.
On Tuesday, a former spokesman for Netanyahu was accused of offering to make a judge attorney general if she agreed to close a case against Sara Netanyahu. Nir Hefetz was arrested Sunday in connection with Case 4000.
