Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was formally charged Tuesday with bribery, fraud and breach of trust at the District Court of Jerusalem. He becomes the first serving Israeli PM in history to suffer the humiliating ignominy of having criminal charges filed against him.
"The indictment was filed a short time ago... as is required by law," said a statement from the office of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit that filed the charges.
Mandelblit charged Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust in Cases 1000 and 2000. The prime minister was charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000. The charges were filed a few hours after Netanyahu said Tuesday morning on his Facebook account he was withdrawing his request for parliamentary immunity from the pending indictment in the corruption cases against him.
The attorney general's office said the submission of the indictment, originally issued in November, was postponed because Netanyahu said he wanted to ask the Knesset (Parliament) to grant him a parliamentary immunity to avoid prosecution in court.
The indictment says Netanyahu damaged the image of the public service and public trust in it. Netanyahu is also accused of abusing his position and status, and knowingly "taking a bribe as a public servant in exchange for actions related to your position."
The most serious of these charges is Case 4000. This case accuses Netanyahu of pushing regulatory decisions benefiting Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder in Israeli telecommunications company, Bezeq, in exchange for positive coverage from Walla! Communications Ltd. (a web portal providing news and email) owned by Elovitch. Mandelblit has charged both Netanyahu and Elovitch with bribery.
The indictment says the relationship between Netanyahu and Elovitch was based on a quid pro quo. It alleges Netanyahu's actions benefited Elovitch and helped the latter earn more than $500 million from 2012 to 2017. In exchange for this largesse, Walla published Netanyahu's political messages he wished to convey to the public, said the indictment.
"(Netanyahu) took benefits... while knowing (he was) taking a bribe as a public servant in exchange for actions related to your position."
Case 1000 has to do with accusations Netanyahu received gifts and benefits from billionaire benefactors such as Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan (born in Israel) in exchange for favors. Mandelblit charged Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust.
The indictment in this case claims Netanyahu damaged the image of public service and the public's trust in it. While serving in public positions, and foremost as prime minister, Netanyahu maintained an inappropriate relationship with billionaire benefactors for years.
Case 2000 involves accusations Netanyahu agreed with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, to weaken the circulation of a rival daily in return for more favorable coverage from Yedioth. Mandelblit charged Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust in Case 2000. Mozes will be charged with bribery.
The indictment says that Netanyahu and Mozes "recognized that the one had the ability to promote the other's interest" in the run-up to the 2015 elections.
