by Itsik Saban, Ariel Kahana, Efrat Forsher, Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff
PM: Recommendation comes as no surprise, it was decided before the investigation began
In a move that could have far-reaching
political ramifications, the Israel police on Sunday recommended
indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on bribery charges related
to a corruption case involving Israel's telecom giant Bezeq, prompting
immediate calls for his resignation.
Police say their investigation has
established an evidentiary foundation to charge Netanyahu and his wife
Sara with accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust. The
recommendations include filing charges against a number of additional
suspects, including former Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch and his wife and
son.
The case revolves around suspicions that
confidants of Netanyahu promoted regulations worth hundreds of millions
of dollars to the Bezeq telecom company in exchange for positive
coverage of the prime minister and his wife on Bezeq's subsidiary news
website, Walla.
The Bezeq case, known in the Israeli media
as "Case 4,000," involves allegations that Netanyahu, who held the
government's communications portfolio until last year, influenced
regulation to benefit Elovitch. Former journalists at the Walla news
site have attested to being pressured to refrain from negative reporting
of Netanyahu.
After the police decision was announced,
Netanyahu said, "The police recommendations about me and my wife come as
no surprise to anyone, and neither does the obvious timing of their
publication. These recommendations were decided and leaked even before
the investigations began."
"Police recommendations have no legal
standing," Netanyahu added. "Only recently, individuals with actual
authority categorically rejected the police recommendations against a
long list of public figures. I'm sure that in this case, too, the
relevant bodies will examine the evidence and arrive at the same
conclusion – that there was nothing there because there is nothing
there."
Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of the Bezeq telecom giant -
Gideon Markowicz
Attorney Jack Chen, who represents
Elovitch, said in response to the report Sunday that "the police leaks
have been preparing us for this recommendation for some time. There's
nothing new under the sun. We hope that now legal officials will be free
to examine the evidence … and try to meet the difficult task of
withstanding the immense pressure on them [to indict]."
The pressure to indict, he said, has been a constant theme in the investigation "from the start, and it tainted it."
"Mr. Elovitch stands by his claim that he has committed no crime," the attorney stated.
Netanyahu has been questioned by police at least 12 times
in connection with Case 4,000, the most serious of a number of
corruption investigations in which the prime minister has been
implicated.
Two of his top confidants, his former spokesman Nir Hefetz and Communications Ministry Director General Shlomo Filber, turned state witnesses earlier this year in exchange for immunity and are believed to have provided police with incriminating evidence.
Police have already recommended indicting
Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. One involves
accepting gifts from billionaire friends and the second revolves around
alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a newspaper in return for
positive coverage.
The prime minister has denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the accusations as a witch hunt orchestrated by the media.
After the police recommendations were
announced on Sunday, opposition politicians began demanding that
Netanyahu resign and call an early election.
"The most serious bribery case yet leaves
no room for doubt," said Tamar Zandberg, head of the dovish opposition
Meretz party. "A prime minister who is accused of the most serious
offense in the Israeli law books cannot keep serving one minute longer."
"The prime minister has no moral mandate to keep his seat and must resign today. Israel must go to elections," Zandberg said.
Other opposition figures, including opposition leader Tzipi Livni, quickly joined in the call for Netanyahu to resign.
The coalition, however, took a different
tone. Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel tweeted that "I earnestly hope that
the police recommendation will be revealed as unfounded. I very much
hope that the prime minister will be acquitted and that the government
will continue to operate for the benefit of the Israeli people."
During a meeting of Likud ministers,
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz said that, speaking on behalf of
the ministers, he offers his full support for the prime minister.
Netanyahu responded: "Thank you very much, all of you, but you're obviously taking this more seriously than I am."
Itsik Saban, Ariel Kahana, Efrat Forsher, Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/12/02/police-recommend-indicting-netanyahu-on-bribery-charges/
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