DT
PT
Subscribe To Print Edition About The Tribune Code Of Ethics Download App Advertise with us Classifieds
search-icon-img
search-icon-img
Advertisement

Israeli PM charged in corruption cases

  • fb
  • twitter
  • whatsapp
  • whatsapp
featured-img featured-img
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a meeting of the right-wing bloc members in Jerusalem. He is the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to be charged with corruption. AP/PTI
Advertisement

Jerusalem, November 21 

Advertisement

Israel's attorney general today formally charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a series of corruption cases, throwing the country's paralyzed political system into further disarray and threatening the long-time leader's grip on power.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit charged Netanyahu with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three different scandals. It is the first time a sitting Israeli prime minister has been charged with a crime. Mandelblit was set to issue a formal statement later Thursday.

Advertisement

Allegations against Netanyahu include suspicions he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars of champagne and cigars from billionaire friends, offered to trade favors with a newspaper publisher and used his influence to help a wealthy telecom magnate in exchange for favorable coverage on a popular news site.

The indictment does not require Netanyahu to resign but is expected to raise pressure on him to step down.

Advertisement

Netanyahu has called the allegations part of a witch-hunt, lashing out at the media, police, prosecutors and the judicial system. Netanyahu was scheduled to issue a statement later. — AP

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
tlbr_img1 Classifieds tlbr_img2 Videos tlbr_img3 Premium tlbr_img4 E-Paper tlbr_img5 Shorts