Police ready to lay Netanyahu fraud charges

ISRAELI police say they have enough evidence for bribery and fraud charges to be brought against Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, and his wife in the third and most serious corruption case against the Israeli leader.

Police said yesterday that they had evidence to charge Mr Netanyahu and his wife Sara with accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust.

Mr Netanyahu is suspected of passing regulations favouring the Bezeq telecom firm in exchange for favourable coverage on a news website owned by Bezeq’s controlling shareholder. Police claim that Mrs Netanyahu coordinated the coverage.

Mr Netanyahu has long framed the inquiry as a witch hunt orchestrated by the media and the accusations against him as personal.