Multi-billion submarine corruption deal hits "Israel"

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The Israeli occupation government voted Sunday to establish a formal inquiry into a 2012 naval procurement deal over corruption accusations involving close associates of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

The investigation will look into a multi-billion shekel deal -- known as the "submarine affair" -- to acquire naval vessels from the German industrial giant ThyssenKrupp.  

The occupation's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who ousted Netanyahu in June, abstained in the vote setting up the inquiry, reportedly citing concerns it would interfere with military procurement.

"Most serious security corruption case"

In a tweet before the Israeli government approved the probe, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called the submarine affair "the most serious security corruption case in the history of 'Israel'."

For his part, Israeli occupation Security Minister Benny Gantz, also a strong supporter of the probe, tweeted after the vote that the inquiry was a "top security need." 

Several people have already been charged in the case. 

Odds for a plea deal are low

This comes as Netanyahu's lawyers are saying that the possibility of him agreeing to a plea deal in his corruption trial before the current attorney general's departure is low.

On Sunday, Israeli media released polls that suggest most Israelis do not support a possible plea bargain for the war criminal, with the majority of those polled believing Netanyahu is guilty of the charges.

It is noteworthy that this month, Gantz announced a separate agreement to buy three further submarines from ThyssenKrupp in a 10 billion shekel (over three billion dollars) deal.