Yossi Asraf, head of the Givat Ze'ev local council, was questioned on Monday in a public corruption probe. Police suspect that Asraf, who owns several apartments in the settlement, illegally divided some of them and was also involved in building violations at a business linked to him.
Investigators from Lahav 433 are also examining whether he prevented municipal inspectors from carrying out their duties on properties he owns and blocked enforcement action by the council he leads. According to police suspicion, Asraf directly or indirectly buried any initiative by council employees to expose his own violations, and professionals were allegedly told to keep a low profile.
In a statement this week, police said the case began as a covert investigation based on information received by the unit and later moved into an open phase. During that stage, Asraf was detained for questioning, searches were carried out at homes and at the local council, and additional senior officials were summoned to testify.
The investigation, led by the National Fraud Unit, is being handled together with other enforcement bodies, including the Civil Administration, the Israel Tax Authority, the Israel Electric Corporation, the Civil Department of the State Attorney's Office, and the Enforcement of Land Use Directorate. Police said the probe is still in its early stages and that further steps are expected.
