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Police arrive at Netanyahu's home to question him in corruption investigation

Ahead of their arrival, the Israeli prime minister denied any wrongdoing and told his political opponents to put any “celebrations” on hold.

POLICE ARRIVED AT the residence of Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu this evening to question him as part of a graft probe that has shaken Israeli politics, media reports said.

Three investigators arrived at the residence in central Jerusalem at around 6:30 pm local time, according to public radio and other reports. Police declined to comment.

Ahead of their arrival, Netanyahu denied any wrongdoing and told his political opponents to put any “celebrations” on hold.

Police were expected to question Netanyahu over whether he illegally accepted gifts from wealthy supporters.

United Nations General Assembly Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Richard Drew / PA Wire Richard Drew / PA Wire / PA Wire

The long-running inquiry has looked into whether Israeli and foreign businessmen have offered gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars as well as another unspecified issue, according to media reports.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has reportedly decided to upgrade the inquiry to a criminal probe, although he has yet to confirm this.

Earlier today, screens were mounted at the entrance to the compound in central Jerusalem in an apparent bid to shield the investigators’ arrival.

“We hear all the media reports. We see and hear the festive spirit and atmosphere in television studios and in the corridors of the opposition,” Netanyahu told lawmakers from his Likud party, according to a video posted to his Facebook page.

I want to tell them to wait for the celebrations. Do not rush. I told you and I repeat: There will be nothing because there is nothing. You will continue to inflate hot air balloons and we will continue to lead the state of Israel.

Police have carried out the inquiry in secret over the course of some eight months and recently arrived at an important breakthrough, reports said. Some 50 witnesses are said to have been questioned.

In July, Mandelblit said he had ordered a preliminary examination into an unspecified affair involving Netanyahu, with no details given.

US billionaire and World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder has been among those questioned in the probe over gifts he allegedly gave Netanyahu and alleged spending on trips for him, Israeli media reported.

Trump Ronald Lauder Evan Vucci Evan Vucci

Lauder, whose family founded the Estee Lauder cosmetics giant, has long been seen as an ally of Netanyahu, who in the late 1990s put him in charge of negotiating with then Syrian president Hafez al-Assad.

Netanyahu has acknowledged receiving money from French tycoon Arnaud Mimran, who was sentenced to eight years in prison over a scam amounting to €283 million involving the trade of carbon emissions permits and the taxes on them.

Netanyahu’s office said he had received $40,000 in contributions from Mimran in 2001, when he was not in office, as part of a fund for public activities, including appearances abroad to promote Israel.

He has also come under scrutiny over an alleged conflict of interest in the purchase of submarines from a German firm.

Media reports have alleged a conflict of interest over the role played by the Netanyahu family lawyer, David Shimron, who also acts for the Israeli agent of Germany’s ThyssenKrupp, which builds the Dolphin submarines.

Beyond those issues, Israel’s state comptroller released a critical report in May about Netanyahu’s foreign trips, some with his wife and children, between 2003 and 2005 when he was finance minister.

© – AFP 2017

‘Stay strong Israel’: Donald Trump tweets criticism of President Obama >

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    Mute Adrian
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    Dec 24th 2018, 10:44 AM

    And course for politicians on basic management skills?

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Dec 24th 2018, 12:05 PM

    @Adrian: And a course in composing simple sentences in English will be available too.

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    Mute Paul Smith
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    Dec 24th 2018, 12:31 PM

    80 percent of Irish goods to the EU goes through the UK . The British only have to export their goods through one port to get to either Ireland or France . The Irish have to go through two ports to get to France . Longer hrs for drivers stuck at ports which means higher wages . Fuel costs increases . It costs over 500 Euro to fill a tank on a articulated lorry . Haulage firms increase their prices to cover the costs . Irish goods become more expensive to export which means they are less competitive in the market place . . The extra cost will be past onto the customer .

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Dec 24th 2018, 2:27 PM

    @Paul Smith: Wow. In “Paul’s” planet Brexit boats cannot sail directly from Ireland to continental Europe.
    Is this what Brexiters mean by having a border in the sea?

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    Mute Paul Smith
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    Dec 24th 2018, 2:41 PM

    @Danny Rafferty: A’s someone who works in the haulage and warehousing industry in the UK for 8 yrs I can tell ya that exports only become profitable when they have a smooth transition through ports . Any disruption in that process will cost huge increases in exporting goods . It takes three times longer to move goods around the south coast to France then to go through the Uk .It doesn’t solve the problem . The Irish export market is at the mercy of the UK .

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Dec 25th 2018, 1:04 AM

    @Paul Smith: Gee “Paul’ you better tell someone who cares because presently the French, Belgian and Dutch are arguing about who will get our business via the largest sea-going freighter on the planet, and we have 3 more on order.
    Do you suppose they can do refrigeration on those trucks and containers “Paul”?

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    Mute dublincomments
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    Dec 25th 2018, 1:21 AM

    @Danny Rafferty: the land bridge via GB is much faster for getting product to market.

    Taking the boat increases delivery times and costs.

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    Mute Bryan Curran
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    Dec 24th 2018, 12:43 PM

    Angela Merkel called for nation states to “give up sovereignty” to the European Union “in an orderly manner”.

    No thanks! Brexiteers saw the direction of travel the Brussels’ train was headed. We must cut all ties with this anti-democratic,bureaucratic political project and quickly!

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    Mute Matthew Gorman
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    Dec 24th 2018, 1:29 PM

    @Bryan Curran: wow you’re so clever. Get a job spotting drones.

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    Mute Sorcha Hendry instagram: @SorchaHendry86
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    Dec 24th 2018, 10:41 AM

    So brexit is good for no one English or not well played England you really got your power back

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    Mute Barry Somers
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    Dec 24th 2018, 11:50 AM

    @Sorcha Hendry instagram: @SorchaHendry86: but… But… They’ll have their empire days again!!

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    Mute GO GREEN
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    Dec 24th 2018, 11:13 AM

    A border will only happen if people accept it and allow it to happen. If hundreds of thousands of people refuse to have anything to do with the border it cannot happen.

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    Mute Bluey
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    Dec 24th 2018, 11:44 AM

    @GO GREEN: A border must happen. How can you not have one separating Europe and the UK?

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    Mute Nick
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    Dec 24th 2018, 11:46 AM

    @GO GREEN: Don’t even know where to begin with that. It’s Christmas Eve, relax and don’t kill off too many more brain cells.

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    Mute GO GREEN
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    Dec 24th 2018, 1:49 PM

    @Nick: Under the Good Friday agreement it is illegal to impose a border.

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    Mute Pl Ster
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    Dec 24th 2018, 11:17 AM

    @M D
    I dont think you put alot of thought into that comment .

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    Mute DeFonz
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    Dec 24th 2018, 11:47 AM

    There are loads of Hiace drivers in the border counties who are better prepared that any government organised trainers

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Dec 24th 2018, 12:06 PM

    Where’s the anonymous Brexit supporters to tell us how to organise things?

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    Mute Pl Ster
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    Dec 24th 2018, 10:37 AM

    What a disaster !!

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    Mute Mike Conway
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    Dec 24th 2018, 4:09 PM

    Brexit training course- what a load of bs.

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    Mute John Cunningham
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    Dec 26th 2018, 3:10 AM

    Dé Bert is the greatest living expert he is a negotiator, remember the whip round? He is a horsey man, remember the few Bob he won! “The 250k that appeared miraculously was explained thoroughly? Right? YUP he is the man to explain all things brexit, sure didn’t he serve his apprenticeship to the financial sorcerer himself,, Mr Haughee!

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    Mute pat seery
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    Dec 24th 2018, 12:38 PM

    Relax EVERYONE In Will not leave they are beginning to see the light

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