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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 3 January 2017
Israeli police question Netanyahu

over corruption allegation

IAN DEITCH building in apparent antici- gifts from Australian billion-
Associated Press pation of the investigators’ aire James Packer.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli arrival and to obstruct the In October, Lauder was
Prime Minister Benjamin view of journalists seeking summoned by police for
Netanyahu was grilled by to film them. questioning “related to a
police investigators for over Netanyahu has denied certain investigation con-
three hours at his office what he calls “baseless” ducted by them and in
Monday night, opening reports that he received which Mr. Lauder is not its
what could be a politically inappropriate gifts, a point subject matter,” said Hel-
damaging criminal investi- he reiterated at a meeting ena Beilin, Lauder’s Israeli
gation into suspicions that of his Likud faction earlier in attorney. “After a short Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, arrives for a
he improperly accepted the day. meeting, he was told that weekly cabinet meeting, in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017.
Associated Press
gifts. “We’ve been paying at- his presence is no longer re-
Netanyahu has repeat- tention to reports in the quired and that there shall trayed both as being out of sleeping cabin on a flight
edly denied wrongdoing, media, we are hearing the be no further need for ad- touch with the struggles of to London. Even their costly
but the arrival of the na- celebratory mood and the ditional meetings.” average Israelis. purchases of scented can-
tional fraud squad indicat- atmosphere in the televi- Israel’s Justice Ministry de- Over the years, reports dles and pistachio-flavored
ed questions raised about sion studios and the corri- clined to comment. have been released about ice cream have been de-
him are considered serious dors of the opposition, and I A campaign is underway the high cost of the Netan- rided.
enough to merit an investi- would like to tell them, stop by Erel Margalit, an opposi- yahus’ housekeeping ex- The Netanyahus have de-
gation. Police said Netan- with the celebrations, don’t tion lawmaker of the Zionist penses. nied any wrongdoing, and
yahu was questioned “un- rush,” he said. “There won’t Union party, seeking for Ne- In one case, he was chid- say they are the target of
der caution,” a term signal- be anything because there tanyahu to be formally in- ed for spending $127,000 in a witch hunt by the Israeli
ing that he is a suspect. is nothing.” vestigated over suspicions public funds for a special media.q
Police spokeswoman Luba Israel’s Channel 2 TV has of prominent donors im-
Samri said Netanyahu was said that Netanyahu ac- properly transferring mon-
questioned on “suspicions cepted “favors” from ey for the prime minister’s
he received benefits.” She businessmen in Israel and personal use as well as re-
said there would be no fur- abroad and that he is the ports that Netanyahu’s per-
ther details released at this central suspect in a sec- sonal attorney represented
stage. ond investigation that also a German firm involved in
The police team did not involves family members. a $1.5 billion sale of subma-
speak to journalists, but Is- The newspaper Haaretz rines to Israel.
raeli media said they are said billionaire Ronald Netanyahu has long had
looking into suspicions that Lauder, a longtime friend an image as a cigar-
Netanyahu inappropriately of Netanyahu’s, was linked smoking, cognac-drinking
accepted expensive gifts to the affair. Channel 10 TV socialite, while his wife,
from two businessmen. has reported that Netan- Sara, has been accused of
A black screen was had yahu’s oldest son, Yair, ac- abusive behavior toward
been placed in front of the cepted free trips and other staff. Opponents have por-
Mexicans block roads, stations to protest gasoline hikes

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Small throughout the country. ports crude oil.
groups of protesters block- The Mexican government “It was precisely because
aded some roads and said the deregulation had we were limiting these
gasoline stations in Mexico long been planned, but (price) movements in some
on Monday to protest a unfortunately coincided ways, that gave rise to this
government price deregu- with rising world oil prices. pent-up increase,” Messm-
lation that sent that sent The deregulation is aimed acher said.
the price of fuel up by as at ending subsidies that the “These things always cre-
much as 20 percent over government says largely ate bad feelings,” Miguel
the weekend. benefit wealthier Mexicans, Messmacher. “That is very
A group of protesters block- and to attract interest in clear, and very under-
aded a privately owned private participation in the standable.
gasoline station on Mexico newly opened fuel market It is very clear to us that this
City’s main boulevard on “Unfortunately, it coincided is obviously an unpopular
Monday, shouting “the with a significant increase measure.”
people, united, will never in international oil prices,” Over the weekend, when
be defeated!” said Miguel Messmacher, the Jan. 1 measure went
On a busy highway lead- Mexico’s assistant finance into effect, protesters
ing into the capital from secretary. That, and a drop snarled traffic on one of the
the west, another group in the value of the Mexican country’s main north-south
blocked traffic and held up peso against the dollar in highways.
a banner reading “Enough 2016, probably would have Gasoline supplies have be-
already!” resulted in gas price hikes gun stabilizing after some
Reports on social media last year, but the govern- stations were left dry due
and local newspaper sites ment was still setting prices to what officials described
suggested small, intermit- back then. as panic buying, increased
tent protests popped up Mexico imports much of its holiday demand and un-
at a half-dozen other sites gasoline, even though it ex- foreseen shipping delays.q