Netanyahu questioned for 3rd time on corruption allegations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in the synagogue at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum, in Jerusalem, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017. In remarks at the Holocaust ceremony on Thursday, Netanyahu said President Donald Trump understands the "danger" stemming from the Iran nuclear deal. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) (The Associated Press)

JERUSALEM – Israeli police have questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the third time as part of a corruption investigation into allegations that he improperly accepted gifts and tried to trade favors with an Israeli newspaper.

The Haaretz daily and other outlets say Netanyahu was questioned on Friday. Most details of the spiraling scandal have emerged from media reports.

Police are interrogating the prime minister for allegedly receiving gifts from high-powered Hollywood and business figures and separately over secret talks with the publisher of Yediot Ahronot, a major Israeli newspaper, for positive coverage in exchange for diminishing impact of a free pro-Netanyahu daily in 2014.

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, portraying the accusations as a witch hunt against him and his family by a hostile media opposed to his hard-line political views.