Israeli police raid home of minister close to Netanyahu in corruption probe

Israeli police on Monday raided the home and office of Social Equality Minister May Golan, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of a corruption and drug investigation, local media reported.

“Police raided the office of Social Equality Minister May Golan on Monday to summon her for questioning in connection with an investigation into alleged fraudulent employment and the misuse of public funds for private purposes through nonprofit foundations,” Haaretz daily said.

Golan, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, agreed to appear for interrogation later on Monday, according to the report.

Police also arrested an attorney close to Golan and sought to extend his detention after questioning.

During the raids, officers discovered “a drug laboratory in the home of another one of Golan's close associates,” the daily said, with the police arresting several suspects, including a close aide to far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who heads an unnamed NGO, the report said.

The investigation into Golan's conduct was launched after a media report suggested that she had misused funds from a nonprofit she founded and mistreated staff members in her office.

According to Israeli media, The Hebrew City, a nonprofit organization founded by Golan to fight against the presence of asylum seekers in south Tel Aviv, received “substantial donated funds that were never spent on their intended purposes.”

“Golan's close associates arranged government jobs for their relatives,” the newspaper said.

Golan dismissed the allegations as “false,” insisting that the recordings she featured in them were created by AI.

The raids come as Netanyahu himself faces ongoing corruption trials dating back to early 2025, including accusations of receiving lavish gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for favors and negotiating with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes for favorable coverage.