Harow going abroad, might return with investigative materials
Police planning to soon summon Netanyahu for questioning in light of former confidant Ari Harow's state witness testimony; Mrs. Netanyahu might be asked to give her version of events as well; head of police investigative unit to remain in position to see probe through.
Ari Harow, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's former chief of staff and the state's witness against him, is scheduled to travel abroad on Monday and might return with materials pertinent to the ongoing police investigations against his former boss, according to inside sources.
A significant part of Harow's testimony concerns events that occurred while the prime minister and his wife Sara were abroad, and Harow might return from his vacations with materials he kept out of the country.
Police is planning to soon summon the prime minister for questioning under caution and have not ruled out requesting that Mrs. Netanyahu provides her version of the events included in Harow's testimony as well.
In light of the signing of a state witness agreement with Harow and the information he brings to the table, it appears the investigations against the prime minister will continue for quite some time.
Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit want the investigation to be led by someone well versed in all of the investigative materials.
Because of that, the head of the Israel Police's Investigation and Intelligence Department, Deputy Commissioner Meni Yitzhaki, whose term had already been extended to facilitate the probe, is expected to remain in his position and see it through.
According to a report on Channel 2 News, Harow recently told a close associate that the case bore no resemblance to that of the corruption investigations launched against former prime minister Ehud Olmert, in which his former chief of staff Shula Zaken testified against him in legal proceedings that concluded with his incarceration.
“It’s not similar to Shula Zaken. It isn’t like I broke the law with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and now I am looking to pin it on him in order to avoid punishment,” Harow reportedly said.
“They are accusing me of a transgression unconnected with the prime minister and one that in my opinion I didn’t do. The choice isn’t whether I go or he goes to jail, but rather whether I go to jail for no reason or not,” said Harow.
