- Title: Cigars, champagne and sweetened coverage: the charges against Netanyahu
- Date: 28th February 2019
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MARCH 1, 2019) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN AND VENEZUELAN DELEGATIONS TAKING SEATS RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV SPEAKING MEDIA VENEZUELAN VICE PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ SPEAKING MEETING IN PROGRESS MEDIA LAVROV AND RODRIGUEZ ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN VICE PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATIO
- Embargoed: 14th March 2019 18:09
- Keywords: Israel election Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indictment
- Location: TEL AVIV, LOD, ISRAEL/ JERUSALEM/ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City: TEL AVIV, LOD, ISRAEL/ JERUSALEM/ LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001A3HY98N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Benjamin Netanyahu is the dominant Israeli politician of his generation. No rival comes close in political skill to the Likud Party leader known widely as "Bibi".
But on Thursday (February 28), Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit said he intends to indict Netanyahu in three corruption cases on charges of bribery and fraud and breach of trust, pending a pre-trial hearing.
The announcement comes just 40 days before Netanyahu seeks re-election at the April 9 national ballot.
Following is a summary of the allegations against the fourth-term leader, who has denied any wrongdoing.
CASE 1000
This case alleges that Netanyahu and his wife Sara received gifts from Arnon Milchan, a prominent Hollywood producer and Israeli citizen, and Australian billionaire businessman James Packer, whom Milchan introduced to them. The gifts, including champagne, cigars and jewelry, were worth some $264,000. The attorney-general said he intended to charge Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust in this case.
CASE 2000
Netanyahu is accused of negotiating with Arnon Mozes, the owner of Israel's best-selling daily newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, for better coverage in exchange for working to rein in the circulation of a rival, pro-Netanyahu, Israel Hayom. The attorney-general said he intended to charge Netanyahu with fraud and breach of trust in this case.
CASE 4000
This is the most serious of the three cases, in which Netanyahu has been accused of bribery - a count that carries a maximum 10-year prison term in Israel.
Netanyahu, who formerly doubled as communications minister, is suspected of granting regulatory favours to Israel's leading telecommunications company, Bezeq Telecom Israel, in return for more positive coverage on a news website owned by Bezeq's former chairman.
Netanyahu is under no strict legal obligation to resign. He will have a pre-trial-hearing with the attorney-general, in which his attorneys can argue for the charges to be scrapped or reduced. That process can take weeks, if not months.
Netanyahu says he is the victim of a politically orchestrated "witch-hunt" by the media and the left. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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