Israel's attorney general indicts PM Netanyahu on corruption charges

 

FILE PHOTO:Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on as he arrives to review an honor guard with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed during their meeting in Jerusalem September 1, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo

 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's attorney general indicted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges on Thursday, heightening uncertainty over who will ultimately lead a country mired in political chaos after two inconclusive elections this year.

 

 

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced the decision, the first of its kind against a serving Israeli prime minister, in a statement and said the charges included bribery, breach of trust and fraud.

 

Netanyahu, who has denied wrongdoing in three corruption cases, is under no legal obligation to resign after being charged. He was due to make a statement at 2030 GMT.

 

The corruption allegations facing Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have now resulted in indictments against him. Israel's politics are already so much turmoil that it may face its third election in less than year. Matthew Larotonda reports.

 

Police recommended in February that Mandelblit file criminal charges against the right-wing prime minister in the long-running investigations dubbed Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000.

 

Netanyahu is suspected of wrongfully accepting $264,000 worth of gifts, which prosecutors said included cigars and champagne, from tycoons and of dispensing favours in alleged bids for improved coverage by Israel's biggest selling newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, and the Walla website.

 

Israel's longest-serving premier could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of bribery and a maximum 3-year term for fraud and breach of trust.

 

(Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-22

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Difficult to play the anti semitic card in Israel. 

It does not really matter what country one speaks of, NO HONEST POLITICS EXIST!

Hope he goes to prison. Same wish for Trump and Bolsonaro . Politicians should never be " above the law " , they break the law , they should face the same consequences as anybody else .

Envious of Israel going ahead with charging PM while in office, unlike Bibi's buddy in White House

Lock him up!

Bibi and Trump....buddies till the end. 

4 hours ago, 30la said:

It does not really matter what country one speaks of, NO HONEST POLITICS EXIST!

I was getting ready to dispute that, but the all-caps portion of your comment completely reversed my opinion.

4 hours ago, 30la said:

It does not really matter what country one speaks of, NO HONEST POLITICS EXIST!

People don't even want total honesty from politicians. What would that even look like? But there are levels of criminality and corruption with politicians and everyone else. Israel is in a very dark times right now with seeming endless elections etc. but Israel does have a good record of holding politicians accountable to the law. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that Bibi will face the music. 

2 hours ago, Magenta408 said:

Lock him up!

Only if he is found guilty surely.

Lawyer's are the criminals and politicised lawyers are the worst scum of the earth. The moment a lawyer becomes politicised they should be disbarred. What is happening in the world right now is disgusting. People losing then throwing tantrums and start using politicised lawyers to have democracy overturned. People on here just can't help themselves to use any excuse to vent their own pathetic hatred of Trump. 

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

People don't even want total honesty from politicians. What would that even look like? But there are levels of criminality and corruption with politicians and everyone else. Israel is in a very dark times right now with seeming endless elections etc. but Israel does have a good record of holding politicians accountable to the law. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that Bibi will face the music. 

exactly!

An inflammatory post from an un authorised source removed also replay

Cigars and Champagne