Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long inserted himself into Israel’s fierce newspaper wars to bolster his grip on power. However, an Israeli TV station on Sunday reported that the police are looking into his involvement as part of a possible corruption case that could undermine his political future.
Netanyahu was recorded in a meeting negotiating mutual benefits with an old foe, the publisher of Yediot Aharonot, a popular newspaper that is sharply critical of the prime minister, commercial TV station Channel 2 reported.
In return for more positive coverage, Netanyahu proposed helping Yediot Aharonot financially by curtailing the circulation of its main competition, Israel Hayom, and limiting its weekend supplement, the report said.
While Netanyahu has engaged in open warfare with Yediot Aharonot in recent years, Israel Hayom has been broadly supportive of the prime minister.
The meeting between Netanyahu and the publisher of Yediot Aharonot, Arnon Mozes, took place in 2014, according to Channel 2, but the discussion does not appear to have materialized into action.
Still, the disclosure caused an uproar, with critics accusing Netanyahu and Mozes of plotting to upend the democratic principle of an independent, free and professional press.
Yediot Aharonot has struggled financially in recent years, largely because of competition from Israel Hayom, a free daily backed financially by one of Netanyahu’s main patrons, the US billionaire and US Republican Party donor Sheldon Adelson.
In a Facebook post in 2015, Netanyahu accused Mozes of “an orchestrated and ridiculous campaign of slander” against him, his Likud Party and Israel Hayom.
The attack came a day after lawyers filed a petition to ban Israel Hayom during that year’s election campaign, calling it a “propaganda platform” that is “masquerading as a newspaper.”
The meeting between Netanyahu and Mozes in 2014 was recorded at Netanyahu’s request by his former chief of staff, Ari Harow, according to Channel 2.
It surfaced during a separate police investigation of Harow on suspicion of financial irregularities.
Fraud investigators questioned Netanyahu twice last week, with the police saying that he was asked about two cases.
One, a possible graft case, involves the receipt of gifts from business executives, apparently including regular deliveries of expensive cigars and pink Champagne from a Hollywood producer and long-time friend, Arnon Milchan.
Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.
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