Senior Likud figures investigated over financial crimes

Several prominent Likud party members and business figures have been questioned by Israeli police on suspicion of financial offences, in an investigation that highlights ongoing concerns about corruption within the ruling coalition. The individuals include former MP Michael Kleiner, brothers Yitzhak and Yaffa Dayan, and contractor Dudi Appel, a businessman who was reportedly instrumental in supporting Benjamin Netanyahu’s rise to prominence in the party during its earlier years.

Appel, leaving his interrogation, made defiant remarks to journalists, declaring that those involved would pay for their actions whilst insisting his lawyer had characterised the investigation as “an old matter.” The Dayan brothers’ legal representatives similarly disputed the allegations, stating that nothing improper had occurred in their conduct.

The case forms part of a broader pattern of financial investigations involving Likud-connected individuals. Netanyahu himself has faced multiple legal proceedings over the years, though he has consistently denied wrongdoing. These investigations reflect tensions within Israel’s law enforcement and judiciary regarding potential corruption within the country’s political establishment.

The specific allegations against each individual have not been publicly detailed, though the investigation underscores continued scrutiny of financial dealings within Netanyahu’s inner circle and the party machinery. The questioning of such high-profile figures suggests authorities are treating the allegations with considerable seriousness.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.