NETANYAHU INTERROGATION BEARS LITTLE FRUIT;

POLICE UNDER FIRE - ON THE DEFENSIVE

The interrogations of former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sarah last night, each of which lasted seven-hours, have left the police with no clear evidence that the Netanyahus bribed a Jerusalem contractor or that they misused public funds. Netanyahu's attorney Yaakov Weinrot is expected to publicize the couple's version of the events this evening.

The media storm surrounding the Netanyahus began with a Yediot Acharonot article on Tuesday of this week and preoccupied the radio and television news on Wednesday. On last night's prime-time news broadcasts, reporters on Channel One and privately-owned Channel Two TV gave minute-by-minute reports of the interrogations while they were being conducted.

Opposition MKs today issued harsh criticism of the police behavior in the affair, citing the steady flow of detailed leaks by police to reporters. Likud MK Uzi Landau, for instance, blasted the police department, calling it "a rotten organization that is undermining justice" in Israel. Referring to the fact that the police investigation began less than a day after Yediot Acharonot's "scoop," Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said that there was "something fishy" about the relationship between the police and two main journalists associated with the affair.

An Israel police spokesman rebuffed allegations of police-media coordination, insisting that "the investigators faithfully carried out their responsibilities." Justice Minister Yossi Beilin labeled the criticism of police "a deliberate attempt to undermine the state's legal and law enforcement agencies." Beilin asked rhetorically, "Who really knows if there were leaks, is there any solid proof for this accusation?" He suggested that the reporters behaved independently, without the aid of police. Beilin further said:

"In today's papers, I read three different accounts by three separate journalists about contradictions in the various interrogation sessions, and I said to myself: here is a story that began with a newspaper article, and even before the interrogation began, the public already knew many of the details..."

Speaking with Arutz-7 today, criminal lawyer Tzion Amir agreed with the critics:

"This whole interrogation stinks. The liaison between the media and the police department is extremely problematic and violates acceptable procedure in a modern democratic state. In an almost McCarthyistic style, the same newspaper targets the same person time after time, and the police hastily follow its leads. Just compare this episode with the lackadaisical police and media response to the fictitious associations that worked to get Ehud Barak elected."

Amir rejected the police claim that none of its officers acted improperly:

"I think that it's time to expose the emptiness of this sorry excuse. The Israeli public is not naive. Yesterday's blow-by-blow coverage of the supposedly secret interrogations was too much to bear! This is not the first time that the police have acted this way. Just before the elections, former IDF Col. Yanosh Ben-Gal's interrogation was covered on prime-time television. Who knew of the questioning, and who invited the TV crews - if not the police?"

Arutz 7, Sept, 17, 1999 - Tishrei 7 5760

 JUDICIAL OFFICIALS WARN AGAINST
"MEDIA ENTHUSIASM"

The chances that former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife
Sarah will be indicted in the current Amdi affair are considered low,
according to sources in the State Attorney's Office.  It will be hard to
prove that Mr. Netanyahu would have been able to provide any services to
subcontractor Amdi in exchange for the services Amdi rendered the
then-Prime Minister.  In addition, there is no proof that Netanyahu
attempted to have his office pay for the exaggerated bills that Amdi
finally submitted.  Atty.-Gen. Rubenstein and State Prosecutor Arbel have
warned against what they call "media enthusiasm" in the case.  They met
today with Police Commissioner Wilk, and explained the dangers of leaks to
the press by police elements. 

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