Netanyahu Denounces Police Probe of Alleged Witness Harrassment

Controversy over police investigations of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu erupted yet again on Sunday, this time concerning alleged harassment of a state’s witness at the hands of Likud officials.

Israel Police have opened an investigation into Likud campaign officials on suspicion of harassing Shlomo Filber, a former confidant of PM Netanyahu, who led Likud’s campaign in the 2015 elections before turning state’s witness against the premier.

The suspects were named by Channel 13 as Likud spokesman Jonatan Urich and the party’s campaign manager, Ofer Golan.

“The persecution doesn’t stop for a moment. The ink hasn’t dried on the thousand pages of defense arguments filed by the prime minister’s attorneys in the hearing, and already they are interrogating all those close to the prime minister,” a statement release on his behalf said on Sunday.

“The goal is clear: To neutralize the prime minister’s ability to fight over the public opinion in the face of the flood of incessant leaks against him by harming his associates. It is scandalous.”

Golan was questioned by police in connection with a van sent to Filber’s home in August with loudspeakers blaring that he lied to incriminate Netanyahu, and calling him a “traitor,” the Channel 13 report said.

“The investigation is being supervised by the state attorney and with the approval of the attorney general,” police said.