PM under Investigation: After a 14-month investigation, Israeli police recommended on Tuesday evening to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in two cases against him, Case 1000 and Case 2000.
Case 1000 concerns illicit gifts Netanyahu allegedly received from business moguls Arnon Milchan and James Packer, whereas Case 2000 concerns talks the premier had with Yedioth Ahronoth owner and publisher Arnon Mozes regarding the Israel Hayom daily.
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As for Case 1000, the police announced that evidence and testimonies showed that Netanyahu used his position to influence government policy for the betterment of his associates, favors which he and his family received emoluments and favors for in return.
The gifts received by the Netanyahus, such as cigars, champagne and jewelry, were granted for about a decade and reached a total of about one million shekels—750 thousand shekels of which were given by Milchan and about 250 thousand shekels from Packer, according to the police.
Among other things, the police said that Chairman of the Yesh Atid Party MK Yair Lapid served as a key witness in Case 1000.
“With Netanyahu’s election in 2009, the volume of goods increased significantly, and the goods were given in light of Netanyahu’s becoming Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, and to promote Milchan’s business and status,” the police stated.
Earlier that day, as part of the preparations for the publication of the recommendations, Netanyahu convened his associates and lawyers for consultations. He also canceled a visit he planned to the cornerstone laying of the new rehabilitation center at the Baruch Padeh Medical Center in Poriya, Tiberias, but his associates deny that the cancellation stems from the publication of the recommendations.
On Monday, the High Court of Justice summarily rejected a petition which sought to prevent the police from attaching recommendations to cases it had investigated in general, and to Netanyahu’s cases in particular.
It was submitted by right-wing activist attorney Yossi Fuchs, who demanded Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan to instruct Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh not to include police recommendations on indictment in investigation conclusions.
On Sunday, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit asked the police to hold off on releasing their recommendations in the cases against Netanyahu until the state has a chance to respond to Fuchs’ petition.
The State Attorney’s Office, meanwhile, said the petition was to be rejected, clarifying that the police do not give the prosecution a “recommendation” as to whether a suspect should be indicted but merely summarize the case.
“All that the police provide, in accordance with the attorney general’s instructions … is a summary of the investigation file and its position regarding the entirety of the evidentiary infrastructure that was created during the investigation,” the state’s response to the High Court said.
Eli Senyor, Moran Azulay and Itamar Eichner contributed to this article, Ynet News
