Israel's telecom giant Bezeq CEO steps down amidst corruption probe

JERUSALEM, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Stella Handler, CEO of Bezeq Israel Telecom, the country's largest telecom company, announced Monday his resignation amidst a corruption police investigation.

Handler will step down after five years in the post. Last month, Bezeq appointed Yakov Paz as the interim chief executive for at least a month as the investigation goes on.

"After completing five years on the job and ahead of a change in ownership, and in light of the investigations and circumstances, I have decided to step down," Handler said in a statement. "It is the right thing to do for me personally and for Bezeq."

Handler was arrested in February on suspicion of involvement in a corruption affair that also engages Bezeq's control holder, Shaul Elovich, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The police said Handler and other senior officials of Bezeq are suspected of fraud, bribery, and security offenses. Handler and the other executives denied any wrongdoing.

A court released Handler from police detention but ordered her to stay away from Bezeq for 30 days. Enditem