In an exceptional and rare move, the State-Prosecutor’s Office announced on Monday that it is withdrawing its indictment against Ron Eilon, former CEO of Yes, in the Bezeq-Yes case, one of the cases against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The dramatic decision comes eight years after the investigation was opened and four years after the indictment was filed. Eilon was accused of taking part in an alleged “fraudulent scheme” related to the merger deal between Bezeq and Yes.

The decision was made during the trial on Monday due to the presentation of new evidence and the exposure of flaws in the prosecution’s thesis during the cross-examination of key witnesses.

The move is especially significant as the Bezeq-Yes affair is closely related to Case 4000, the most serious of the cases against Netanyahu as it involves bribery charges. It should be noted that this is not the first major blow to the prosecution regarding Case 4000, as claims that Walla provided favorable coverage to Netanyahu in exchange for favors have so far been completely disproven in court.

In a previous court hearing, the judges scoffed at the charges of bribery against Netanyahu in Case 4000, even snapping at the prosecutor that “the court recommended you drop the bribery charges.” [In June 2023, the Jerusalem District Court recommended that the prosecution drop the bribery charges, warning that a conviction was unlikely.]

Shortly later, Attorney Liat Ben Ari, a senior prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office who led the witchhunt in indicting Netanyahu, resigned from her position.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)