Wife of Israeli prime minister told she may face fraud charges over ‘meals’ scandal
THE wife of Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been told she may face criminal charges for allegedly using thousands of pounds of state funds for personal dining and catering services.
Avichai Mandelblit, Israel’s attorney general, said yesterday he was considering indicting Sara Netanyahu for offences that include fraudulently procuring items, fraud and breach of trust. In a case described as “the mealsordering affair” by the justice ministry, Mrs Netanyahu with help from an aide allegedly created a false impression between 2010-13 that no cooks were employed at the premier’s official residence, while indeed there were, according to the ministry statement.
This was done, the statement said, to procure state funding for outside catering that would have been covered had there been no chef.
“In this way, hundreds of meals from restaurants and chefs worth 359,000 shekels (£77,000) were received from the state fraudulently,” said the justice ministry statement.
Mr Mandelblit’s announcement is the strongest indication yet as to whether Mrs Netanyahu will be charged, after a long-running investigation, which has been the subject of intense speculation in the Israeli media.
She has the option to plead her case in a hearing with the attorney general.
Mr Netanyahu said the claims against his wife were “absurd”.
A statement on his Facebook page read: “Not only did the prime minister’s wife not commit any offence, but the preoccupation with the food of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who works around the clock for the state and its security – and with the food of his family, is a pathetic and obsessive one.
“For how much longer will this obsessive involvement with the Netanyahu family continue?”
It was unclear what political impact the announcement might have on Mr Netanyahu, 67, who himself is under investigation in two corruption cases.
It has been claimed that he and his wife accepted gifts including cigars, jewellery and pink champagne from Arnon Milchan, a Hollywood producer, in return for favours. Mr Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for 11 years over four terms, has denied any wrongdoing.
The prime minister leads a relatively stable coalition government and presides over a buoyant economy. His conservative Likud party has rallied behind him in the absence of clear rivals for the leadership, rebuffing calls for his departure from the centre-left opposition.
Likud’s religious-nationalist coalition partners are likewise sticking with him for now.