Police officer questioned in 'Hatzel' affair on suspicion of breach of trust

A police officer with the rank of Chief Superintendent was questioned under warning by the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) on suspicion of breach of trust in the 'Hatzel' (Yoav Eliasi) affair. He was released under conditions of distancing from police facilities and contact with those involved for 10 days. The investigation comes after Police Commissioner Danny Levy dismissed Eliasi from his post as commander of the Tel Aviv rapid response team, following a Haaretz investigation into alleged use of connections to prevent a club's closure. Eliasi denies the allegations.

A police officer with the rank of Chief Superintendent was questioned today (Sunday) under warning by the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) as part of the affair involving rapper Yoav 'Hatzel' Eliasi, on suspicion of breach of trust. At the end of the questioning, the officer was released under conditions of distancing from police facilities and contact with those involved for 10 days. The investigation comes after Police Commissioner, Chief Superintendent Danny Levy, dismissed Eliasi last week from his post as commander of the rapid response team in the Tel Aviv district. The dismissal followed a journalistic investigation by Josh Breiner in Haaretz, according to which Eliasi used his connections in the police to benefit a Tel Aviv entertainment complex in which he was a partner. The investigation published recordings in which he is allegedly heard boasting about his connections, which helped prevent the club's closure after a violent incident. Eliasi, who is close to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, denied the allegations and stated: 'I never intervened in the club's affairs with the police.' In an Instagram video, he claimed he voluntarily froze his volunteering until the truth comes to light.