Police Finish Probe Into Diplomatic Passport Affair, Case Moves to Prosecutors

Israel Police have completed their investigation into the diplomatic passport affair and formally notified the State Attorney’s Office that the probe is over. Prosecutors have asked to receive the full case file, the investigation summary, and the police recommendations so they can decide how to proceed.

At the center of the case is suspicion that diplomatic passports were issued without meeting the Foreign Ministry’s criteria. The main period under review is when Eli Cohen served as foreign minister.

Cohen was questioned under caution on suspicion of breach of trust. Investigators also examined whether a diplomatic passport was issued to Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister’s son, outside the normal procedures. Netanyahu was previously summoned for a voluntary, open testimony in the case.

The investigation was led by Lahav 433 and was opened after reports in Haaretz claimed that, during Cohen’s tenure, diplomatic passports were granted to people not automatically entitled to them. According to the suspicion, professional staff in the ministry initially rejected some requests, but the passports were later approved. Prosecutors will now decide whether to adopt the police recommendations and whether there is enough evidence to file indictments.