BICOM

Six more suspects were arrested over the weekend as part of the ongoing investigation into the purchase of submarines from Germany for the Israeli Navy, called “Case 3000”.

David Sharan, who served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff from 2014 to 2016, was one of the six people arrested on Sunday. Sharan is suspected of taking bribes, fraud, breach of trust and conspiring to commit a crime. The Rishon LeZion Magistrates’ Court extended his custody on Sunday evening by five days, saying that the case “is an especially labyrinthine and complex investigation”.

The others arrested include senior IDF reserve officers, a former commander of the elite naval commando unit Shayetet 13, whose name has not been released, and strategic adviser Nati Mor, who has worked with several senior government officials.

A police statement said the arrests were made “in order to apprehend documents relevant to the investigation”.

On Sunday night, Israel’s Channel 2 news reported that Atalia Rosenbaum, former number two on the National Security Council (NSC) from 2009 to 2010 was questioned 10 days ago on suspicion of leaking information from NSC meetings to Miki Ganor, the Israeli representative of the German shipbuilder Thyssen-Krupp, who has turned state’s witness in the investigation.

Speaking about the latest developments in the investigation, Zionist Union MK Erel Margalit said: “After his cousin, his lawyer, and his man in the National Security Council, here comes the chief of staff, too. The noose is tightening around Netanyahu, and his associates are getting arrested one after another. Now we need to summon for questioning the main decision maker in the deal for the submarines and the other ships.”

“Case 3000” involves an agreement between Israel and Germany to buy three submarines, despite opposition from then Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon and several high-ranking IDF officers. Oversight of the deal was removed from the the Defence Ministry, and brought under the responsibility of the Office of the Prime Minister.

A tender for the construction of patrol boats is also being investigated. Israeli authorities discussed the tender with three different South Korean shipyards before it was cancelled and given to Thyssen-Krupp.