An “examination” has been ordered into the conduct of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced on Sunday, curiously without saying what exactly the premier was being investigated for.
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Netanyahu said that he welcomed Sisi’s “recent offer of Egyptian leadership and efforts to advance peace with the Palestinians and a broader peace in our region”.
“I wish to inform you that in light of information received regarding affairs that pertain to the prime minister, among others.the attorney general has conducted a number of discussions. made a decision to instruct that an examination of the matter be opened”, the Attorney General’s office said in a statement. “And the dream of peace and security moves further out of the Israeli people’s reach as long as the conflict continues”.
Shoukry was in Ramallah last month to discuss the peace proess with Palestinian leaders.
After the Justice Ministry confirmed it was looking into suspicions, Israeli media began to report that either Mr Netanyahu or one of his family members had received a large sum of money unrelated to polictical campaigns.
A senior law enforcement official said police believed they had enough evidence to take the investigation public, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Netanyahu has said he would be willing to discuss the Arab peace plan but that changes would have to be made. In particular, the two sides share intelligence in a common battle against Islamic militants operating in Egypt’s Sinai desert and the Gaza Strip.
Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979.
“We understand Minister Shoukry’s visit [to Israel] came after his visit to Ramallah and he consulted with us to support the efforts to hold an worldwide peace conference and put reference points for negotiations within the framework of a specific timeline”, said Al Shoubaky.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby criticised the authorisation of new homes as “fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution”.
In a report published on July 1, the Quartet of Middle East peace sponsors – the United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations – hailed the Arab peace initiative’s “vision for comprehensive settlement” of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
A recent report from the Quartet for the Middle East peace process-comprising the United Nations, the U.S., Russian Federation and the European Union-criticized both the current Israeli and Palestinian approaches to peace.
Direct talks on Palestinian statehood collapsed in 2014.
The army has said that around 80 of the attacks on Israelis have been carried out allegedly by Palestinians from the Hebron area.
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Shoukry’s visit comes ahead of the Arab Summit, which is expected to be held at the end of this month in the Mauritanian capital.
