Israeli Police Investigate Officers and Yoav Eliasi’s Brother Over Nightclub Favoritism

The Israeli Police Investigations Department (Mahash) questioned three police officers, including an intelligence coordinator, and Yoav Eliasi’s brother on Wednesday over allegations of providing unlawful police favors to a nightclub owned by Eliasi’s brother. All four were interrogated under warning on suspicion of breach of trust. The officers allegedly used their positions to assist Eliasi’s brother in operating the nightclub improperly. Following the interrogations, the officers were suspended from police facilities for three days, while Eliasi’s brother was suspended for one week. Mahash emphasized the investigation is ongoing and further developments are expected.

This probe stems from a report published about two weeks ago by Haaretz, which revealed that Eliasi, known as "HaTzel" (The Shadow), used his police connections to benefit a Tel Aviv entertainment venue he partly owned. The report included recordings where Eliasi allegedly boasted about his police contacts and the assistance he received. This led Police Commissioner Major General Dany Levi to remove Eliasi from his role as commander of the readiness unit in the Tel Aviv district.

Earlier this week, a police officer ranked chief inspector was also questioned by Mahash on similar breach of trust suspicions related to promoting interests of Eliasi’s nightclub. The officer was released with restrictions barring him from police premises and contact with involved parties for ten days. Eliasi himself was summoned for questioning recently and posted a photo on Facebook upon arrival at Mahash.

Eliasi has been associated in recent years with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and is considered close to him. However, the decision to cancel Eliasi’s police appointment was made independently by the police commissioner alongside the Mahash investigation. The current inquiry suggests the scandal may be broader than initially revealed, involving Eliasi’s family and police connections. Mahash continues to examine the full extent of law enforcement involvement in the case.