Netanyahu Family Faces Police Questioning in Case 4000

The pressure was back on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday as local media reported on the next round of police questioning and a prominent critic in Israel took aim at the embattled premier.

In his next interrogation session, Netanyahu will be asked about suspicions that he tried to obstruct one of the investigations against him, Hadashot said on Monday night, citing judicial sources.

Suspicions are said to focus on an allegation that Netanyahu instructed Nir Hefetz, his former media adviser now state’s witness, to delete incriminating text messages relating to Case 4000, involving illegal attempts to influence the media.

The prime minister, his wife and son Yair are slated to be questioned by police about their involvement in Case 4000 in the next few days.

The Prime Minister’s Office struck back at the report, denouncing yet another instance of leaking information from the ongoing probes against him:

“Leaking materials from the investigation, even if they are false accusations, is the real attempt to obstruct the investigation. The prime minister always comported himself lawfully,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin said on Monday that the country has “lost its way” under Netanyahu.

“I feel that the country has lost its way,” Diskin told a business conference in Tel Aviv. “It has become very populist, without direction, vision and ideology, and its leadership is utterly lacking in personal example.”

In addition, Diskin derided Netanyahu’s aversion to military conflict. “I know how much of a coward Bibi is, so I can rest assured that he won’t go on any adventures,” Diskin, a frequent critic, said, implying that Netanyahu won’t deliberately provoke war with Israel’s neighbors to distract attention from his legal troubles.

Diskin headed the Shin Bet from 2005 to 2011, under Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Binyamin Netanyahu.