Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as Minister of Communications, will not be able to handle matters regarding Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ), the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit decided in an opinion published today. The Attorney General ruled that Netanyahu must hand authority on all matters relating to Bezeq to another minister because of his friendly connections with controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch. Elovitch controls through Bezeq Pelephone Communications Ltd., DBS Satellite Services (1998) Ltd. (YES), Walla Communications (TASE: WALA), Bezeq International, Spacecom Satellite Communications Ltd. (TASE:SCC) and Eurocom Group. The Prime Minister's Office legal advisor Adv. Shlomit Barnea-Farago wrote that Netanyahu and Elovitch have been friends for 16 years and include social contacts. The Attorney General's ruling follows an article in "Haaretz" on the matter and a complaint by MK Zahava Galon (Meretz). Netanyahu reported that he meets with Elovitch once every few months or a year at social events attended by their wives and others and that he has never had any business dealings with the Bezeq owner. Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 15, 2016 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2016
