Israel's Netanyahu to face new police questioning over corruption allegations

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will be questioned by police on Sunday for the second time this month over two alleged cases of corruption.

Netanyahu is suspected to have received luxury gifts from wealthy supporters, including Israeli businessman and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, a long-time friend who reportedly sent boxes of expensive cigars and other items with a value of tens of thousands of dollars.

Milchan was himself questioned in September.

The police questioning on Sunday would be the sixth time Netanyahu has face investigators in recent months.

Police have also questioned the Israeli premier on suspicions he sought a secret deal for favourable coverage with the publisher of the top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

The alleged deal, not believed to have been finalised, would have seen Netanyahu receive positive coverage in return for helping curb Yediot's competitor - the pro-Netanyahu free daily newspaper Israel Hayom, funded by American businessman Sheldon Adelson.

Netanyahu has consistently denied any wrongdoing and says he has been the target of a campaign by political opponents, openly criticising the media and "left-wing" groups.

Police would not confirm the reports of the latest questioning, which was widely reported in the Israeli media on Sunday.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu confidants Yitzhak Molcho and David Shimron, partners in a law firm and both relatives of the premier, were questioned by police as part of a probe into suspected corruption around the purchase of German submarines.

Netanyahu himself has not been named as a suspect in the submarine case, but reports said he might give testimony into the affair on Sunday.

Last month Netanyahu lashed out at the police on his Facebook page over leaks to the Israeli media related to the graft investigation.

The post prompted a rare response from the police, who denied any political motivation.

Netanyahu has ramped up his hard-line rhetoric in the face of corruption allegations, attacking the media and giving speeches in West Bank settlements where he has vowed never to remove them.