2018 December 3rd NPR

Israeli Police Recommend Indicting Netanyahu In 3rd Corruption Allegations This Year : NPR 12/3/18, 5)15 PM
Pick Your NPR Station

There are at least three stations nearby
NEWSCAST
DONATE LIVE RADIO SHOWS
WORLD
Israeli Police Recommend Indicting Netanyahu

In 3rd Corruption Allegations This Year
LISTEN · 3:23 QUEUE Download
December 3, 2018 · 2:36 PM ET

Heard on All Things Considered
DANIEL ESTRIN
https://www.npr.org/2018/12/03/672881913/israeli-police-recommend-indicting-netanyahu-in-3rd-corruption-case-this-year Page 1 of 13
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly Cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem on Sunday. Israeli
police have recommended indicting Netanyahu on bribery charge allegations related to a corruption case involving Israel's
Bezeq telecom giant.
Gali Tibbon/AP
He is one of President Trump's closest allies, and on the way to becoming the longest-
serving prime minister in his country's history. But after almost a decade in power,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is battling a series of corruption
allegations.
On Sunday, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted for receiving

bribes and other criminal charges — the third and most severe corruption case he has
faced this year. He denies wrongdoing and accuses the police of a witch hunt.
It is now up to Israel's attorney general to decide whether he should be indicted.
Here's what you need to know about the allegations and how they could affect
Netanyahu's grip on power.
What are the latest allegations against Netanyahu?
Police say Netanyahu had a "bribery relationship" with Shaul Elovitch, the controlling
shareholder of Israeli telecommunications company Bezeq. They say Netanyahu
advanced regulation favoring Elovitch, apparently concerning the merger of two
telecom companies that netted Elovitch millions of dollars.
In exchange, from 2012 to 2017, police say, Netanyahu and his associates dictated
content on the company's news website Walla! News, placing flattering photos and
articles and removing articles that were critical of Netanyahu and his family — while
also getting involved in the hiring of editors and reporters.
Article continues below
Sign Up For The NPR Daily Newsletter

Catch up on the latest headlines and unique NPR stories, sent every weekday.
What's your email? SUBSCRIBE
By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy.
The police investigation into this case followed a 2015 investigative report by Israeli
reporter Gidi Weitz in the newspaper Haaretz.
Former editors and reporters at Walla! News spoke to the Israeli investigative TV
program HaMakor about interference in their coverage.
Avner Borochov, head of the news desk from 2011-2013, said it began when bosses
instructed editors to remove a story about poverty in Israel in which the headline
included a quote from an opposition lawmaker: "Netanyahu is blind to the growing
poverty." Avi Alkalai, former chief editor of the site from 2015-2016, said "there was
an attempt to paint all that had to do with the prime minister's household in a positive
light and not negative."
How serious are the allegations?
This is the third set of corruption charges police have recommended against
Netanyahu this year, and analysts say it is the most serious, because of the large
regulatory favors allegedly given to the telecom shareholder. Netanyahu and his wife
are accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the case, dubbed by police as Case
4000.
In February, police recommended he be indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust
in two other cases.
One case concerns allegations that between 2007 and 2016, Netanyahu received about
$282,000 worth of gifts in the form of cigars, champagne and jewelry from Australian
businessman James Packer, the ex-fiancé of singer Mariah Carey, and from Hollywood
producer Arnon Milchan. Another case concerns allegations that Netanyahu offered to
advance legislation favoring a newspaper publisher in exchange for positive press
coverage in the paper.
Will Netanyahu be indicted?
Israel's attorney general, appointed by the prime minister, will now study the police
recommendations and decide whether there is sufficient evidence to indict Netanyahu.
It is likely to take months before he announces his decision in all three corruption
cases.
The attorney general closely oversaw the police investigation, and Tal Schneider,
diplomatic and political correspondent for Israel's Globes newspaper, told NPR she
believes the severity of the police recommendations indicates that he has already made
up his mind to indict.
Israeli law expert Emanuel Gross of the University of Haifa says that in some instances
in the past, attorneys general have dismissed police recommendations and did not
bring criminal charges against senior officials.
Can Netanyahu survive the allegations?
Maybe. According to Israeli law, a prime minister does not need to resign if he is
indicted. Netanyahu has indicated that if he is charged, he would stand trial without
stepping down.
Some of Netanyahu's political partners have previously indicated they would not sit in
his government if he faced an indictment. But for now, they are remaining in his
governing coalition.
Israel is due for elections in late 2019, though Netanyahu could call a vote sooner.
Recent opinion polls show his political party receiving the most votes, and he enjoys
high popularity in the Israeli public. Some analysts believe Netanyahu could seek early
elections while he is still expected to win, to dissuade the attorney general from
indicting him, having won a fresh mandate from the Israeli public despite the
corruption allegations.
Netanyahu has successfully fended off years of negative press coverage and other
controversies about an alleged lavish lifestyle and his wife's court conviction for
mistreatment of wait staff and her alleged misuse of public funds.
With Israel's economy strong and Palestinian violence relatively low, many Israeli
voters believe Netanyahu's nearly 10-year reign has brought stability and that he can
maintain Israel's security in a tumultuous region.
netanyahu investigations benjamin netanyahu israel
More Stories From NPR
EUROPE
Swedish Cultural Figure Appeals Rape Conviction, Is Given Longer Sentence
WORLD
Who Are France's Yellow Vest Protesters, And What Do They Want?
Popular on NPR.org
HEALTH
How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
NATIONAL
George H.W. Bush's Service Dog Stays By His Casket
SCIENCE
Neil DeGrasse Tyson Rejects Claims Of Sexual Misconduct
BOOKS
Michelle Obama's Take On 'Lean In'? 'That &#%! Doesn't Work'
NPR Editors' Picks
HEALTH
Before Starting A Statin, Talk It Over With Your Doctor
NATIONAL
A Grieving Pittsburgh Focuses On Community And Light In Hanukkah
Celebrations
MEDIA
Nexstar Deals For Tribune Stations, To Be Largest Local TV Firm In U.S.
NATIONAL
When An Undead Apocalypse First Swept America In The 'Night Of The Living
Dead'
READ & LISTEN CONNECT
Home Newsletters
News Facebook
Arts & Life Twitter
Music Instagram
Podcasts Contact
Programs Help
ABOUT NPR GET INVOLVED
Overview Support Public Radio
Finances Sponsor NPR
People NPR Careers
Press NPR Shop
Ombudsman NPR Events
Corrections Visit NPR
terms of use
privacy
your privacy choices
text only
© 2018 npr

2018 December 3rd NPR

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2018 December 3rd NPR

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Israeli Police Recommend Indicting Netanyahu In 3rd Corruption Allegations This Year : NPR 12/3/18, 5)15 PM

Pick Your NPR Station

Israeli Police Recommend Indicting Netanyahu

December 3, 2018 · 2:36 PM ET

On Sunday, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be indicted for receiving

It is now up to Israel's attorney general to decide whether he should be indicted.

What are the latest allegations against Netanyahu?

Article continues below

Sign Up For The NPR Daily Newsletter

What's your email? SUBSCRIBE

By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy.

How serious are the allegations?

in two other cases.

Will Netanyahu be indicted?

Can Netanyahu survive the allegations?

netanyahu investigations benjamin netanyahu israel

More Stories From NPR

NPR Editors' Picks

READ & LISTEN CONNECT

Arts & Life Twitter

ABOUT NPR GET INVOLVED

Overview Support Public Radio

Finances Sponsor NPR

People NPR Careers

Press NPR Shop

Ombudsman NPR Events

Corrections Visit NPR

your privacy choices

You might also like