“It is unthinkable that a person being investigated on suspicion of bribery would continue to hold such a sensitive and significant position.”
Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi is under investigation on suspicion of receiving bribes, according to Israeli media, cited by the Middle East Monitor (MEMO), with an Israeli watchdog group calling for his immediate suspension.
The Hebrew Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Hanegbi was interrogated earlier this week by members of the National Fraud Investigation Unit on suspicion of receiving over $2,600 in exchange for a recommendation letter for a contractor.
The incident dates back to 2017 when Hanegbi was Minister of Regional Cooperation and sent an official letter aiming to help Australian businessman Kevin Bermeister and businessman Amnon Rivek in a joint project to construct a new airport in occupied Jerusalem. According to the allegations, the two men transferred a sum of money to a third party to deliver it to the then-minister.
Money Delivered Personally
In February 2022, regulatory authorities requested that the Attorney General be tasked with opening an investigation against Hanegbi on suspicion of taking bribes while working at the ministry, but the request was rejected in January 2023. There was then an insistence on investigating him, especially with his current position in light of the war in Gaza, reported MEMO.
The investigation into Hanegbi follows a tumultuous week in Israeli leadership as Netanyahu just dismissed Security Minister Yoav Gallant. https://t.co/0sVaQNE3io
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 6, 2024
It said that the investigation revealed that Bermeister and Rivek coordinated the transfer of funds to Hanegbi in a WhatsApp conversation and one of them noted that the bank refused to send the funds intended for him, so the money was delivered personally.
The Prime Minister’s Office, under which the investigations body operates, said that the investigation into Hanegbi “has nothing to do with the Prime Minister or the National Security Council,” noting that the claims “have already been made as part of a civil dispute between two contractors.”
Hanegbi has denied the allegation.
Call for Suspension
An Israeli watchdog group, the Movement for Quality Government, has called for Hanegbi’s immediate suspension, arguing that it is “unreasonable” for someone under investigation for bribery to lead the National Security Council, especially during wartime.
Hanegbi, “who currently holds the sensitive position of Chief of Staff for National Security, is at the core of decision-making in the war. It is unthinkable that a person being investigated on suspicion of bribery would continue to hold such a sensitive and significant position,” the organization said on X.
ראש המל”ל צחי הנגבי נחקר בחשד לקבלת שוחד – דורשים להשעות אותו מיידית מתפקידו!
היום נחשף כי ראש המל”ל צחי הנגבי נחקר על ידי היחידה הארצית לחקירות הונאה בחשד לקבלת שוחד של 10,000 ₪ תמורת מכתב המלצה לקבלן. זוהי התפתחות חמורה במיוחד, במיוחד לאור העובדה שמדובר בעבריין מורשע שהורשע… pic.twitter.com/40XZE9U4nt
— התנועה לאיכות השלטון (@MovGov) November 6, 2024
Calling for Netanyahu to “immediately suspend” Hanegbi from his position, the organization said “At this time, when the country is at war and the National Security Council makes fateful decisions, the Israeli public deserves honest officials who act solely in the public interest,” the organization stated.
Intelligence Leak
This incident comes as a series of investigations into corruption and the leaking of military secrets within Netanyahu’s circle is underway.
Five suspects, including a close aide, have been arrested for alleged involvement in leaking documents from Netanyahu’s office to influence the position on the negotiations regarding the Israeli captives in Gaza.
‘Intelligence Leak’ Scandal Rocks Netanyahu’s Office – Close Aide Arrested
“The investigation began after significant suspicions arose in the Shin Bet and IDF — including as a result of media publications — that secret and sensitive intelligence information was taken from the IDF and removed illegally, sparking concerns of serious harm to national security and a danger to the sources of the information,” an Israeli court was quoted by the Times of Israel.
“As a result, damage could have been done to the ability of defense bodies to achieve the goal of freeing the hostages (held in Gaza),” it reportedly added.
The documents were leaked to the London-based Jewish Chronicle and the German newspaper, Bild.
(PC, MEMO, Al-Mayadeen)
