Police have recommended a criminal indictment against Mrs. Sara Netanyahu following a comprehensive investigation. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has reviewed the evidence gathered by police in the case and has given approval for the indictment, which alleges Mrs. Netanyahu inappropriately used 360,000 of public money for her own personal use. Also named as a defendant in the case is Ezra Seidoff, a former Deputy Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to a Channel 10 News report based on obtaining a draft copy of the criminal indictment, Mrs. Netanyahu ordered food from the top Jerusalem restaurants; including Cavalier, HaMotzi and Machanyuda, all owned/operated by top name chefs. Monthly bills to these restaurants ran high, quoting over 18,000 shekels in April 2011 and over 17,000 in May 2011. December 2011 reached more than 24,000 shekels for one month of dining. Channel 2 News adds the food was not ordered for official guests or VIPs.

The news reports further explain that the two, Mrs. Netanyahu and Seidoff made it seem there was no in-house chef to prepare meals when in fact, this was not the case. If there is not a chef, then they are permitted to order food in, however, in this case, there was a fulltime chef on staff. As a result of allegedly spending public funds for private meals, they will face criminal charges including breach of trust and fraud.

In a Facebook page response, the Netanyahu family called the allegations “Absurd and they will prove unfounded in the future”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)