"I acted like any citizen would": 'Tzel' version in police internal affairs investigation

Yoav Eliasi, known as "Tzel", told the police internal affairs department (Mahash) that he received no favors and did not request any. He was summoned for a hearing at the police, while three officers are being investigated on suspicion of assisting his brother's club. Eliasi denied approaching senior officials and claimed he acted as an ordinary citizen.

Right-wing activist Yoav Eliasi, known as "Tzel", said today in his interrogation at the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) that he did not receive or request any favors. This was reported this evening in the Kan News broadcast. Eliasi was summoned for a police hearing after being questioned this morning by Mahash on suspicion of breach of trust. Following the hearing, scheduled for tomorrow, a decision will be made on whether he will end his role as commander of an emergency response squad in Tel Aviv. This morning, three police officers were also questioned in connection with the affair, including an intelligence coordinator, suspected of assisting and granting police leniencies to a nightclub owned by Eliasi's brother, following an investigation by Haaretz newspaper. Regarding the connection with one of the officers, Eliasi said: "We are good friends. We met when I started volunteering with the police, but there is a personal connection between us. I consulted him only to know who to turn to; I didn't think he could cancel the closure of the club and restaurant. I acted as a citizen, I did everything an ordinary person would do, regardless of my police activity." He denied approaching senior police officials or that he socializes with police officers in the district.