Sara Netanyahu charged with fraud

The corruption scandal surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, took a new turn yesterday when his wife Sara was charged with fraud and accused of illegally claiming $75,000 for gourmet meals.

While Mr and Mrs Netanyahu have been subject to widespread allegations in recent years, the indictment filed yesterday marks the first time either has been charged with a crime.

Israeli prosecutors said Sara Netanyahu pretended that there was no chef working at the prime minister’s residence in order to claim public money for lavish outside catering, when a chef was in fact already employed on taxpayer’s money.

The Netanyahus have denied wrongdoing and said the police investigations launched against them were part of a plot by the prime minister’s political enemies to destabilise his government.

Israeli police recommended in February that Benjamin Netanyahu face charges for accepting $200,000 worth of bribes. The decision on whether to actually bring charges lies with Avichai Mandelblit, Israel’s Attorney General.

Israeli commentators have raised questions over whether Mandelblit, who was once Netanyahu’s cabinet secretary, has the independence to bring charges against his former political benefactor. His decision to indict Sara Netanyahu is likely to put some of those questions to rest. However, the length of time it has taken his office to charge Sara Netanyahu for alleged crimes between 2010-2013 suggests it may be months or even years before he reaches a decision about the more complex allegations against the prime minister. –

AP Pope Francis waves when arriving for a Holy Mass, at the Palexpo hall, in Geneva, during a visit for the World Council of Churches as centrepiece of the ecumenical commemoration of the WCC’s 70th anniversary.