Netanyahu must stand trial over bribery claims, say Israeli police

ISRAELI police have recommended charging Benjamin Netanyahu with accepting bribes worth 1 million shekels (£200,000), dealing a potentially serious political blow to the long-serving Israeli prime minister.

After more than a year of investigating, Israel’s police said there was enough evidence to prosecute Mr Netanyahu on allegations he accepted lavish gifts from wealthy businessmen and tried to negotiate a corrupt deal with a newspaper publisher.

Police also recommended charging Mr Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust. The final decision on whether or not to bring charges against the prime minister lies with Avichai Mandelblit, the Israeli attorney general.

Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and said in a defiant address yesterday night that he would not resign over the “baseless” police recommendations.

“Nothing will divert me from my commitment to the good of the nation,” Mr Netanyahu said. “I have not known a day in office without vicious allegations against me and my family.”

Detectives spent more than a year investigating two separate cases into Mr Netanyahu, known as Case 1000 and Case 2000. The first inquiry focused on claims that Mr Netanyahu and his family illegally accepted extravagant gifts like champagne and cigars from Arnon Milchan, an Israeli Hollywood producer, and James Packer, an Australian millionaire.

In return, he allegedly helped passed legislation that would benefit Mr Milchan’s businesses and tried to help him get a visa to the US. The prime minister admitted taking the gifts but said they were presents between friends and that he had not given any political favours in return.

Case 2000 involves allegations that Mr Netanyahu offered a corrupt deal to the publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth, one of Israel’s largest newspapers.

He allegedly said he would restrict the circulation of Israel Hayom, a free sheet newspaper owned by US billionaire Sheldon Adelson, his political benefactor. In return, he allegedly wanted Yedioth Ahronoth to give him more favourable coverage.

Mr Netanyahu said last week that he expected the police would call for his prosecution but urged his political supporters to hold their nerve.

“Many of you are asking what will happen, so I want to reassure you: There will be nothing, because I know the truth,” he said.

At a rally last summer, Mr Netanyahu accused the Israeli media and his Left-wing opponents of “a coup against the government”.

“They know that they can’t beat us at the ballot boxes, so they are trying to circumvent democracy and topple us in other ways,” he told a crowd of 3,000 cheering supporters.

 A Palestinian teenager charged after a viral video showed her slapping two Israeli soldiers in a case that has gained global attention has gone on trial in military court near Jerusalem in closeddoor proceedings.

The judge in the trial ordered journalists removed from the courtroom, ruling that open proceedings would not be in the interest of Ahed Tamimi, 17, who is being tried as a minor.