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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a
statement to the press after a security cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, Nov. 12,
2019. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
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By Marcy Oster
JERUSALEM (JTA) – Benjamin Netanyahu has been charged in
three corruption cases, marking the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister
has been indicted.
The charges, announced on November 21 by the Justice
Ministry and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, include bribery and breach of
public trust.
Netanyahu has denied all the charges and has called the
investigations against him a “witch hunt.”
He has 30 days to request that the Knesset grant him
parliamentary immunity in order to avoid a criminal trial. Government ministers
are required to resign if faced with a criminal charge but not the prime
minister.
The most serious charge is for bribery in what is known as
Case 4000, which alleges that Shaul Elovitch, majority shareholder of Bezeq,
received political favours for the Israeli telecommunications giant in return
for favourable coverage of Netanyahu on the Walla! news website owned by the
company. Conviction on the charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in
prison.
Netanyahu was indicted for breach of public trust in two
separate cases.
In Case 1000, he is accused of accepting illegal gifts from
Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan, including Cuban cigars and pink champagne.
The gifts totaled about $200,000. In return, Netanyahu allegedly helped secure
a U.S. visa for Milchan and supported a law that would give tax breaks to the
billionaire if he moved back to Israel.
In Case 2000, the prime minister allegedly advanced a law
that would have hurt the free daily newspaper Israel Hayom, funded by the U.S.
casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, in exchange for positive coverage from the
popular general circulation Yediot Acharonot.
Netanyahu defended himself against the charges during a
four-day pre-indictment hearing in October.
The Justice Ministry also announced that Yediot’s publisher,
Arnon Mozes, as well as Elovitch and his wife, Iris, will be charged with
bribery.
The announcement comes a day after Blue and White party head
Benny Gantz said he had failed to form a government coalition. Gantz had worked
for about a month to join with Netanyahu and his Likud party in a unity
government in which they would alternate serving as prime minister.
One of the sticking points involved whether Netanyahu would
step down as prime minister in favour of Gantz if he were indicted.
Blue and White said in a statement: “A prime minister up to
his neck in corruption allegations has no public or moral mandate to make
fateful decisions for the State of Israel. Because there is concern, whether or
not the charges prove to be true or without merit, that Netanyahu will make
decisions in his own personal interest and for his political survival and not
in the national interest.”
Mandelblitt in a televised statement said, “Today is a hard
and sad day.” He said he made the decision to indict Netanyahu “with a heavy
heart, but wholeheartedly.”
Responding to accusations that he made the charges public in
order to help lawmakers to form a government, he said in his statement: “It is
not an issue of right or left. It is not an issue of politics, it is required.”
He called the lengthy process of investigation and leveling
of charges “serious and responsible,” and said the decision was made “only for
legal considerations and based on evidence. No other consideration influenced
me.” He added, “At the end of the day the decision was mine.”
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