Israel extends detention for 2 suspects in Netanyahu case

Nir Hefetz, a longtime media adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family, arrives to a Magistrate court in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. (Ariel Schalit / Associated Press)
Associated Press

JERUSALEM – An Israeli court has extended the arrests of a media tycoon and a former adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implicated in a corruption case involving Israel’s telecom giant.

A Tel Aviv judge ordered that Nir Hefetz, an ex-Netanyahu media aide, and Shaul Elovitch remain in custody until Monday.

The two are suspected in a case that involved the promotion of regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Israel’s Bezeq telecom company, of which Elovitch is a major shareholder. In return, Bezeq’s popular news site, Walla, allegedly provided favorable coverage of Netanyahu and his family.

Separately, Hefetz is suspected of attempting to bribe a judge in exchange for dropping a corruption case against Netanyahu’s wife.

Another Netanyahu confidant, Shlomo Filber, who was arrested this week, has turned state’s witness.

Thank you for visiting Spokesman.com. To continue reading this story and enjoying our local journalism please subscribe or log in.

You have reached your article limit for this month.

Subscribe now and enjoy unlimited digital access to Spokesman.com

Unlimited Digital Access

Stay connected to Spokane for as little as 99¢!

Subscribe for access

Already a Spokesman-Review subscriber? Activate or Log in

You have reached your article limit for this month.

Subscribe now and enjoy unlimited digital access to Spokesman.com

Unlimited Digital Access

Stay connected to Spokane for as little as 99¢!

Subscribe for access

Already a Spokesman-Review subscriber? Activate or Log in

Oops, it appears there has been a technical problem. To access this content as intended, please try reloading the page or returning at a later time. Already a Spokesman-Review subscriber? Activate or Log in