After an investigation of more than two years, Israel’s Attorney General has announced plans to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Accusations range from allegedly accepting some $300,000 worth of champagne and cigars as gifts, to bribery for allegedly promoting regulatory changes that helped the head of a telecom giant reap a large financial profit.
The announcement came just 39 days before Israel’s April 9 election. Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party described the charges as “a political persecution”.
CGTN’s Stephanie Freid reports.
Follow Stephanie Freid on Twitter @SFreid
To discuss:
- Ruthie Blum is a columnist for the Jewish News Syndicate and Jerusalem Post.
- Debra Shushan is the Director for Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now.
- Tammi Molad Hayo is a Journalist and a social and cultural activist.
- Mitchell Barak is a pollster and political analyst.
For more:
Netanyahu indictment: What are the charges and what happens next https://t.co/1HoEXPBOyC
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) February 28, 2019
An indictment would mark the first time in Israeli history that a sitting prime minister has been charged with a crime. https://t.co/dZte5dbWzd
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) February 28, 2019