Israeli police announced on Tuesday that there was sufficient evidence indicating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took bribes in two separate cases and acted “against public interests”.
After a year of investigating two cases, known as Case 1000 and Case 2000, Israel’s police formally submitted their recommendation to the Attorney General that Prime Minister Netanyahu be charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
In Case 1000, Prime Minister Netanyahu is suspected of accepting gifts from wealthy benefactors in return for advancing their interests. According to the police, in Case 1000, Netanyahu received champagne, cigars, jewellery and clothing, valued at over one million shekels (around £200,000).
Case 2000, alleges that the Israeli Prime Minister tried to strike a deal that would have provided him with positive coverage in Israel’s second largest newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, in exchange for restricting circulation of its free rival, Israel Hayom.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has denied all the charges levelled against him, stating on Wednesday: “the truth will come to light and nothing will come of this. After I read the recommendations report, I can say that this is a biased, extreme document full of holes”.
Responding to the claims in Case 1000, he stated that the gifts were a token of friendship.
Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist opposition party Yesh Atid, gave testimony about Netanyahu’s alleged efforts to help US businessman Arnon Milchan that he witnessed when serving as Finance Minister during Netanyahu’s first term.
Two coalition leaders Moshe Kahlon, the head of Kulanu, and Naftali Bennet, leader of Jewish Home, both stood by the Prime Minister and said they would wait for the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s decision.
