Yoav Eliasi’s Lawyer Denies Corruption Claims, Accuses Left-Wing Political Motives

Yoav Eliasi, known as "HaTzel," is under investigation by the Police Internal Investigations Department (Mahash) over allegations of exploiting police connections to benefit a nightclub owned by his brother. Eliasi’s lawyer, Yaniv Lankri, responded to the accusations in an interview, asserting that Eliasi’s statements were merely boastful remarks made to close friends and denying any improper requests to police officers regarding the nightclub.

Lankri emphasized that no police officer has confirmed receiving any directive from Eliasi to ease enforcement at the club. He further claimed that a faction within the police, possibly aligned with the political left, targeted Eliasi in an effort to remove him from his senior volunteer role in a rapid response unit. According to Lankri, this group treated Eliasi as a project aimed at his dismissal.

Eliasi was summoned for questioning by Mahash on Wednesday, alongside three other police officers who were released under restrictive conditions. Lankri noted that Eliasi voluntarily suspended himself from his position pending the investigation and that the police commissioner has not officially dismissed him, contrary to media reports.

The lawyer also highlighted that the nightclub in question was shut down for a week, indicating no leniency was granted. Lankri concluded by accusing political opponents on the left of orchestrating the case against Eliasi to undermine his standing. The investigation remains ongoing, with no conclusive evidence presented publicly yet.