Former coalition chairman David Bitan was secretly recorded when he claimed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu closed a deal to appoint him Minister of Public Security in place of Gilad Erdan, according to News 2, which reported that the Knesset member's associates were also heard in the recordings, discussing a plan to depose Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh.
Under investigation for corruption, Bitan responded by saying, "There was no discussion between me and Netanyahu about the Ministry of Public Security." He added, "The police are again leaking incorrect gossip that has nothing to do with the investigation." A response on behalf of Netanyahu called the report absurd, saying the prime minister did not intend to appoint Bitan to the post and is not intervening in the matter of police commissioner.