Wife of Israeli prime minister goes on trial for fraud

By Maayan Lubell

 

Sara, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, appears at a court hearing in the fraud trial against her, at the Magistrate court in Jerusalem October 7, 2018. Amit Shabi/Yedioth Ahronoth/Pool via REUTERS

 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, appeared in court on Sunday for the first hearing in the fraud trial against her, in which she is alleged to have misused state funds in ordering catered meals.

 

According to the indictment, Sara Netanyahu, along with a government employee, fraudulently obtained from the state more than $100,000 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations that prohibit the practice if a cook is employed at home.

 

Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing.

 

She was charged in June with fraud and breach of trust and of aggravated fraudulent receipt of goods. If convicted, Sara Netanyahu could face up to five years in prison.

 

Looking tense, Netanyahu made no comment to reporters who had packed the tiny courtroom. She sat on a bench behind her lawyers.

 

"Can we ask them to move the cameras away?", she asked the lawyer for the other defendant, who replied: "You're used to it."

 

"Not like this," Netanyahu answered. She shook her head as the prosecutor described the gravity of her case.

 

The session, however, dealt mainly with procedural matters. The judge set a meeting with the prosecutors and the defendants' lawyers for Nov. 13 in which he said he hoped all sides could narrow their differences "or even resolve the case".

 

But a settlement at this stage appears remote because the prosecutors would likely demand Netanyahu plead guilty, something her lawyer has ruled out. She was not asked at the hearing to enter a plea.

 

Netanyahu’s lawyers contend the indictment does not hold up because the regulations for ordering meals were legally invalid and a household employee had requisitioned the food despite Netanyahu's protestations.

 

The prime minister, who himself is embroiled in corruption investigations, has called the allegations against his wife absurd and unfounded.

 

Sara Netanyahu, 59, has inspired a multitude of headlines in the past over what family spokesmen call an undeserved reputation for imperiousness.

 

In 2017 the Netanyahus won a libel suit against an Israeli journalist who said Sara once kicked her husband out of their car during an argument. In 2016, a Jerusalem labour court ruled that she had insulted and raged at household staff in the prime minister’s official residence.

 

So far, Sara's present legal woes have not politically damaged her husband, now in his fourth term as Israel’s leader and riding high in opinion polls despite the allegations against him.

 

Accusations he has made against the Israeli media of orchestrating a politically motivated witch-hunt against him and his wife appear to have struck a chord with his right-wing voter base, which has rallied in support of the 68-year-old leader.

 

(Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Dale Hudson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-08

She won't go top jail but she should be punished if found guilty. Maybe she can do some 'community service' alone the wall between Palestine, just saying...

She looks like a real charmer, hope i never meet her while walking on a dark road at night.

Seems corruption runs in that family. Hopefully she gets the book thrown at her with a 5 year sentence and hubby follows suit.

LOCK THEM UP!

2 hours ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

She won't go top jail but she should be punished if found guilty. Maybe she can do some 'community service' alone the wall between Palestine, just saying...

 

Just saying would be about as informed as it gets. There is no such "community service" as you suggest. And as expected, not much to do with the topic either.

35 minutes ago, pegman said:

Seems corruption runs in that family. Hopefully she gets the book thrown at her with a 5 year sentence and hubby follows suit.

LOCK THEM UP!

 

Very doubtful she'll do time. A fine plus loss of face (and the expected meltdown) would be a result, though. But may want to pay attention to the last part of the OP - these things can actually end up cementing support for Netanyahu from his base. If that's reminiscent of Trump, well yeah...

 

As for the other cases he (or others near him) are involved in, too early to tell how things will pan out. One thing for sure is that he'll do his best to time elections and investigation in the most self serving manner.

Fake news and corrupt media are everywhere!

 

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