Opposition leader MK Yizthak Herzog is the other senior politician who is being investigated by the police national fraud unit, along with Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) — on separate charges, Israeli media revealed Wednesday afternoon. Police is examining reports that Herzog benefited from political funding by interested parties. The Deri investigation has to do with real estate he acquired.
AG Avichai Mandelblit on Wednesday informed MK Herzog that the Justice Ministry is planning to issue an official statement about the investigation of his case because of the media exposure it had received. Herzog said in response that he approves of the examination being done as per the AG’s announcement. “It has to do with a smear campaign by the Likud and frustrated activists that began before the elections and was denied back then. I am certain that the investigation will do away with those hallucinatory claims once and for all. I will gladly cooperate whichever way I’m asked so that the issue be cleared quickly.”
The Justice Ministry on Wednesday announced that the investigation has to do with allegations regarding the opposition leader’s behavior during the last primaries at the Labor party. However, “at this point the AG has not ordered an investigation against the opposition head,” the ministry stated.