On Tuesday evening Israeli police told Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s legal counsel that they will be recommending that the Prime Minister be accused and tried for charges of fraud in both files that are open against him, known as file 1000 and file 2000.
The police publicized their formal recommendation just before 9:00PM Israel time. Once that happened the material gathered by the police was passed to the Attorney General’s office for examination. Additionally, the police also recommended that Yediot Acharonot publisher Arnon Mozes (involved in file 2000) and Arnon Milchin (File 1000) be tried for charges of fraud and bribery. The Prime Minister made a statement moments after the publication of the recommendations and called them hallucinatory and enraging.
Speaking on a live feed, ironically on Yediot Acharonot’s website, a stern-looking Netanyahu denied allegations that he accepted lavish gifts, including champagne and expensive cigars, from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan in exchange for doing favors. He also is suspected of offering preferential treatment to a newspaper publisher in exchange for favorable coverage.
Netanyahu asked: “How it is possible that the police came to the conclusion that I was acting on behalf of Arnon Milchin and against the interests of the State of Israel for a bunch of cigars?” Netanyahu added that on numerous occasions, whether it was the closing of channel 10 or while he was working as the Finance Minister in Israel and took apart the monopoly of auto-industry parts in Israel, he worked directly against the interests on Milchin. Netanyahu admitted that he did help Milchin once with regards to a visa from the United States, but added that Former Prime Minister Shimon Peres did the same thing and that Netanyahu only did that because Milchin had helped protect the security of the State of Israel.
Regarding the second case Netanyahu again pointed to his previous actions in working against the interests of the person whom the police accuse him of helping. “When I disbanded the Knesset over the Israel Hayom law, and thus prevented the law from passing I worked directly against the interests of Arnon Mozes. I risked my own political career to stop this law from passing and work against Mozes’ interests. How can it be that the police would claim that I was working for his interests? Other members of the Knesset and even Ministers who voted for the bill who were working for Mozes’ interests and received wonderful praiseworthy coverage in Yediot Acharonot newspaper because of it, none of them are being investigated. But I, who worked against his interests, I am being investigated. It is an upside down world,” The Prime Minister added.
In closing Netanyahu reflected on his own status. “If I had been working for my own interests, I would be in a completely different place right now, not here. The only reason I do what I do is to protect the security of the people of Israel. Rrest assured that the proper legal authorities will see these recommendations as baseless. Our government will fill its mandate and last until the next round of elections, and we will keep building up our country to be the technological superpower that it is meant to be.”
Lawyers working fro Arnon Mozes said: “Mozes has a strong legal case standing for him and we believe that after the Attorney General’s office looks over the case – that all charges against him will be dropped, as it will become clear that he did not commit any crime. Relationships between members of the media and political figures, including politicians, is one of the pillars that a democratic country is based on. Painting this relationship, as complex and convoluted as it is, as a criminal affair, is a dangerous precedent.”
The High Court of Justice rejected a suit yesterday that had asked that the Minister of Internal Security instruct the police not to submit recommendations together with investigation files The rejection of this suit removed the final stumbling block in the way of the police from publishing their recommendations.
Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit instructed the police at the beginning of the week to defer the publication of their recommendations regarding cases involving the Prime Minister. This was due to the fact the High Court of Justice had not decided regarding the above-mentioned suit. Once that occurred the police were free to publish their recommendations.
The police recommendations now go to the attorney general, who will decide whether to press charges.
But Tuesday’s report is deeply embarrassing to Netanyahu and could fuel calls for him to step aside.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
Why is there no Yom Tefilla for him ???
> jewish source
“Why is there no Yom Tefilla for him ???”
Because the nature of such a prayer would read like the “Lemalshinim” section of Shemona Esrei, so for one thing it is already said, and for another thing we are shy to create our own curses against other Jews no matter how much they might deserve it.
Why would you expect the tzibur to offer tefillos for Bibi? He should be thrilled that he will have an opportunity present his case in a courtroom and cross examine the witnesses against him and let the court decide his innocence or guilt. There is no inyan of pidyon shivuim for an alleged ganof indicted in EY nor is this an issue to be decided by a beis din. Lets get this years-long investigation over once and for all.
Having done some reading on this case, I found that none other than yair lapig is a witness. Ya think he’s נוגע בדבר maybe???
That’s like Hillary and former president Obama ym’sh being the witnesses against President Trump’s fake Russian Collusion.
Isn’t it interesting that this is an exact replay of the last PM -Ehud Olmert!!!! Olmert also was in denial like Bibi -before his charges and he ended up in prison. This saga with Bibi seem to be an exact replay !!! What do you expect Bibi to say AFTER he was caught !!!!!
To JJ’
Agreed….Herr Mueller will have considerably more credible witnesses lined up when he brings the Russian indictments against some members of the Trumpkopf’s inner circle and family. Indeed, the expectiation is that several former Trumpkopfs will turn state’s evidence and testify against their former hero..
An indictment means nothing other than that a crime might have been committed. Only one side presents a case. There is no defense. Any prosecutor who cannot get an indictment of a dead horse is an incompetent prosecutor.