30 Israeli officials detained over corruption allegations

Israeli police detained 30 officials Wednesday after a year-long corruption investigation.

According to a police statement, forces arrived at the homes and offices of the 30 officials and detained them for questioning on their part of a large-scale corruption case that included exchange of bribes, personal benefits and illegal appointments of officials, Xinhua reported.

Reports said that the suspects included Deputy Interior Minister, Faina Kirschenbaum, from Israel Beytenu party, and former tourism minister Stas Misezhnikov from Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's nationalist party.

Other suspects include heads of regional councils in Israel, directors of government offices and heads of non-profit organisations and public corporations.

The police believed that the suspects illegally transferred funds to non-profit organisations and regional councils in order to advance interest and launder money through "straw companies".

Deputy Interior Minister Kirschenbaum is suspected of giving bribes to members of non-profit organisations.

"We believe the suspects had conspired in a calculated manner to advance their personal and public interests and receive money for personal use, while committing different crimes in a manner that impeded the administration of their areas of government," the statement said.

The Israel Beytenu party condemned the investigation before the upcoming March 17 elections.