Police push for Netanyahu to be charged
ISRAELI POLICE plan to recommend the indictment of Benjamin Netanyahu following a months-long investigation into gifts received by the prime minister and members of his family from rich businessmen.
The police’s decision was leaked to the press as an opposition MK, Labour’s Micky Rosenthal, insisted he had the same information.
Mr Netanyahu insists all the gifts were received from “close family friends” and were not illegal.
The police recommendation may not necessarily result in an actual indictment. It is up to AttorneyGeneral Avichai Mendelblitt whether to take the prime minister to court.
Under Israeli law, the prime minister does not necessarily have to resign if indicted, and sources close to Mr Netanyahu insist he will not. However, it will be very difficult for him to keep his coalition together in such circumstances.
In another development, it was reported this week that the owners of the Netanyahu-supporting freesheet Israel Hayom, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam, are to be questioned by police next week. Their testimony is being sought in “File 2000”, the investigation into allegations of an illegal deal between Mr Netanyahu and the publisher of Yediot Ahronot, Arnon Mozes. In a series of meetings between the two, a deal was allegedly discussed whereby the Yediot daily paper would tone down its critical coverage of the prime minister and, in return, Mr Netanyahu would intercede with the Adelsons to limit the distribution of their freesheet, which was eating away at Yediot’s advertising revenue.
The Adelsons, who reside in the US, have been assured by police that they are not currently suspects in the case and do not face arrest when they arrive in Israel.
The investigators are looking into whether the proposed deal between the Yediot publisher and the prime minister could have constituted a bribe and whether Israel Hayom’s support for Mr Netanyahu was, in fact, illegal political funding.
A third investigation, “File 3000”, into allegations of corruption in the purchase of submarines and missile boats from a German shipyard, is still ongoing.
A number of former senior naval officers and Mr Netanyahu’s private attorney, David Shimron, have been questioned as suspects. For the time being, Mr Netanyahu is not a suspect in this case.