Police on Monday detained Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg and the municipality’s director, Yaniv Benita, for further questioning at the National Fraud Investigation Unit (Lahav 433).
The questioning was meant to complete an investigation into a bribery and breach of trust investigation that began about seven years ago.
At about 7 a.m., both Greenberg and Benita received phone calls from investigators requesting their immediate presence at Lahav 433’s offices for further questioning. Both were expected to be released after questioning but are likely to return for further interrogation in the coming days due to the acquisition of new evidence in recent months.
Greenberg’s lawyer, Ofer Bartal, said, “The mayor is an honest and upright man who has cleaned up the corruption in Petah Tikva.
“By doing so, he did not cater to the financial and political desires of certain parties, and they are now trying to take revenge by making various accusations against him. We have no doubt the investigation will end with nothing.
“The mayor is deeply committed to his role and will continue to serve the residents for many more years. So far, the mayor has cooperated with the investigation and answered all questions in every inquiry to allow for a thorough examination of the claims. We expect the investigators not to play into the hands of those with vested interests looking to harm the mayor.”
The investigation so far
On August 10, 2022, Greenberg, Benita, and two others were detained for questioning by Lahav 433. The two were suspected of bribery and breach of trust related to activities prior to the November 2018 elections. At the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court, Lahav 433 representatives said there was solid evidence supporting the allegations.
It was alleged at the time that the mayor and director had solicited funds for their election campaigns in violation of election laws by accepting donations beyond legal limits. They also allegedly promised benefits and bribes to those who contributed to their campaign. Their arrest caused a major stir and shocked many residents of the city.
Greenberg’s detention was extended twice before he was released to house arrest. Several months later, Greenberg was arrested again in connection with the same case but was released afterward.
For over two-and-a-half years, it seemed to many in the city that the case had faded and that the investigation had yielded no results. Since then, waves of rumors have swept through the city, periodically resurfacing, though none were supported by evidence.
This continued until definitive developments in November 2024 eventually led to Monday morning’s phone calls summoning Greenberg and the director to the investigation unit.
Despite the ongoing investigation and arrests, Greenberg won 90% of the vote in the most recent elections in November 2023, securing another term as mayor in an unprecedented victory. He also succeeded in getting 13 members of his Likud party onto the city council.
This landslide victory, despite the drama surrounding him, reflected the public’s trust in him as someone who introduced new standards of conduct to Petah Tikva.
In recent months, residents have said, “It will be a loss for the city if he has to resign.”