Adelson refuses to back Netanyahu as PM faces possible police call for indictment - Israel News - Haaretz.com
▻https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/adelson-refuses-to-back-netanyahu-ahead-of-pm-s-possible-indictment-1.58101
The once-warm relationship between U.S. billionaire Sheldon Adelson and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have frosted over completely. In an Israeli radio interview broadcast on Monday, the GOP megadonor declined to say – not once, but twice – he wishes the Israeli leader won’t be indicted over graft suspicions.[…]
In the investigation the police call #Case_2000, it is alleged that Netanyahu tried to strike a deal with the publisher of Israel’s biggest paid newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, which would give him better coverage in exchange for weakening its rival, the free daily Israel Hayom. The latter is a staunchly pro-Netanyahu newspaper, published by Adelson, which quickly surpassed Yedioth’s circulation.
Netanyahu was taped telling Yedioth publisher Arnon Mozes that if his daily were to ease its hard stance on him, the prime minister would talk to Adelson about Israel Hayom refraining from publishing its weekend edition.
Last June, Adelson and his wife Miriam were questioned about the affair by police in Israel. They reportedly told investigators they were disappointed and angry when they found out about the alleged negotiations and Netanyahu’s taped commitments to weaken their paper.